Kim Possible: Sacrifices
by LJ58
Summary: Set just after 'Stop Team Go,' an unexpected event changes Kim Possible's world in ways even she could have never imagined. Now, torn away from all she has known, and facing unknown enemies, she must find a new way to save the world, and yet still remain true to herself.
1. Chapter 1

_I do not own the characters named herein from either Disney, or D.C., and am only using them for a tale meant for entertainment purposes only._

**Kim Possible: Sacrifices**

**By LJ58**

**1**

Kim smiled as she folded the blanket near the now emptied baskets setting nearby. She had a rare day off from school, missions, and even the usually endless catalogue of social obligations her helping and favors usually demanded of her.

Her mother, quick to take advantage of her momentary lull in her extraordinarily busy life, quickly suggested, and arranged a family outing. The picnic in Middleton Park drew a lot of friends as well as her family, and they ended up having a semi-public celebration of sorts as more than a few families from their neighborhood all came together to have a day off.

"Hey, KP," Ron grinned as he finished packing away his own family's basket. "Monique and I were going to head over to the mall for ice cream before the new Major Slamm film started, and then do the film thing. Want to tag," he sandy-haired boy grinned.

"Well…"

"C'mon, GF," the ebony beauty grinned her way as she sauntered over. "It'll be great."

"Well, ice cream sounds nice," she told Monique. "But an underdressed wrestler playing a rogue cop? Isn't that a bit clichéd."

"Kim," Ron gasped. "How could you?"

Both women sniggered at Ron's predictable reaction.

"You know, Dying to Live is also playing," Kim smiled suggestively at Monique.

Ron gave a horrible, gasping-choking sound.

"A…. A _chick-flick,"_ he moaned as if in agony. "KP! Major Slamm! Rex Steele himself did his own stunts," he complained loudly.

"That just sounds so wrong on so many levels," Kim sighed.

"Come on," Monique teased her. "It'll be fun," she assured her. "And it will take your mind off that silly paper Mr. Barkin assigned you after you blew off his History quiz."

'I had to stop Dementor from…..!"

"I know it. You know it. Want to guess what buzz-cut probably thinks," the young teen smirked knowingly. "Especially after that whole Miss Go dealie?"

"No," Kim sighed. "I could use a little break. One thing is for sure, when I finally do graduate, I will not miss that guy. At all."

"Who would," Ron complained. "I think he teaches every single class in school single-handledly."

"Ron, he can't actually….."

Ron just stared, crossing his arms, as Rufus appeared to scramble up his shoulder, adopting his master's own comical pose with his tiny limbs.

"Give it up, GF," Monique advised. "The only thing harder than Steel Toe's footwear is Ron Soppable's _head!"_

"That's right, I….. Hey," their friend sputtered as both girls shared a grin.

"Fine. Fine. I'll go see the fake film about wrestling cops," Kim sighed dramatically.

"It's not about wrestling cops," Ron complained loudly as they carried their things to their respective family cars. "It's about a cop, who happens to be a wrestler, in real life,of course, not the film, only…."

"Ron, I get it….."

"But, KP, you have to get the nuances," he protested. "Don't worry. I can fill you in."

"You've already seen it," Kim asked suspiciously.

"No," he sputtered. "Of course not. It's just premiering. Still, I might have run across a pirated script online, and….read a few pages. Or ten."

"Or more," Monique and Kim both parroted.

"What? So I can't have an interest in the arts," he defended.

Kim burst into laughter at that one.

"What's so funny," Dr. Ann Possible asked mildly as the teens came over, all of them carrying blankets, or baskets.

Both nodded at Ron since their hands were full.

"Ah," the neurosurgeon smiled knowingly.

"What?"

The clueless boy handed over his burdens to his father, who surrendered them to his wife, who deftly packed their things away in the small trunk as Hana just grinned at them from out of the back window. She was very hard to keep in a car seat. Or so the Stoppables were learning.

"Hey, mom," Kim said. "We were going over to the mall from here, if you don't mind," she said as she handed the blanket over to her dad, who was packing the rear of the family van with a precision she suspected came from packing his rockets' payloads before launching them.

Inadvertently, or otherwise.

"The mall," stereo voices from the rear seat complained. "We want to go!"

"And the movies, after," Kim quickly added, knowing the boys were both banned from the local theater.

Something about unlicensed projection devices that somehow altered existing films, and made even the most hardcore fans of a certain anti-hero film run screaming in terror from whatever they had been shown. To this day, certain details were still being censored.

"I think you boys will just go home," James Possible drawled in his sternest 'dad' impression. "Especially after trying to launch the Higgins' cat into orbit with that barbecue grill."

"It would have worked….."

"If the old lady hadn't freaked, and….."

"Boys," Ann cut them off. "You're going home. Grounded. Remember?"

"Man," they moaned in unison.

Kim smirked.

"So….?"

"Go, and have fun, dear. I'm just glad you've finally managed to have a whole day off."

"So far, but don't jinx it," Ron hissed at her, eyeing Kim's right pocket where he knew the ever-present Kimmunicator waited to ruin things.

Kim's mother only smirked herself, and told Kim, "Just don't stay out too late," she told Kim, and headed for her own door after James closed the back of the van.

"And no boys," James added sternly before he headed for the driver's side.

"But….."

"Let it go, Ron," Kim sighed. "You know dad."

Ron still found it hard to look at Kim at times when Dr. P was around. Especially since he kept hearing, "Black hole, Ronald," every time he did.

"Right," Ron sighed. "So, ice cream? I know a great place where they let you make your own cones."

"I already foresee disaster," Monique giggled.

"Wow, you _do_ know him," Kim deadpanned as the Possibles drove off, leaving them to make their own way to the mall.

"Of course she knows me, KP," Ron declared guilelessly. "The Ron-Man is…. Uh, knownable."

Both teens rolled their eyes, and Kim grabbed his left arm, as Monique grabbed his right.

"C'mon, Ron-Man," Kim drawled. "But since you're probably saving what little allowance you have left for the film, understand one thing."

"What," he asked anxiously.

"One dip. Nothing weird. Or I will tie you up outside the theater….."

"No, we'll tie you up inside the theater," Monique suggested playfully. "After we drag you into the chick-flick."

"Good idea," Kim grinned as Ron recoiled in horror.

"That's cruel, and inhuman!"

"You mean inhumane," Kim asked with a grin.

"That, too!"

Rufus, still perched on Ron's shoulder, only rolled his own eyes.

**KP**

Kim wasn't really paying attention to the film that seemed to involve lots of improbable wrestling moves that passed as fighting while the bad guys, predictably, shot everything except the hero who seemed pretty hard to miss in her opinion.

After all, all he did was break in doors, and stand there dramatically long enough that half the villains should have been able to blow him away without trying.

Apparently, tactics and common sense had no place in movie heroics.

She fought another yawn as the 'hero' somehow made a car blow up by somehow throwing a brick like a Frisbee, and making her roll her eyes yet again when someone came in late, and actually used a flashlight to start looking around.

She frowned, overhearing a few complaints, but then realized she knew that silhouette.

Jumping up, she moved to the center aisle gracefully before she met Officier Hobble halfway down the aisle.

"Something wrong, Officer," she asked, eager for any excuse to get out of this very dreadful film that had Ron and Monique both squealing over the apparent action. "Anything I can do to….."

"Kimberly, I've got bad news."

She frowned at his tone.

"What is it," she asked.

"Your family…. They were in an accident, and…."

"How bad," she gasped, never once thinking it might have been her family involved. "What happened?"

"Kimberly, I….. You'd better come with me," he told her, and started to turn away.

"How bad," she demanded, grabbing his arm, and pulling him back around.

Officer Hobble looked torn as he realized half the theater was now looking their way, and he grimaced as he belatedly switched off his flashlight. Kim's green eyes were round with dread as she looked up at him, and he grimaced as he glanced at the screen when a huge explosion went off. Then he looked down, and did the only thing he could.

"It's bad," he said, and put a big arm around her, and pulled her after him. "Let's go. We need to talk."

"How bad," she grit out, letting him steer her now.

"Your mother….may not make it," he finally said as they left the theater, and he headed for his nearby cruiser. "She's at the hospital now."

"Mom," she croaked, remembering that last moment at the park, and her mother's smiling face. "What about….?"

"Kimberly," he sighed as they settled into his car. "I should…."

"Tell me," she demanded as she snapped her own belt in place, and stared pointedly at him.

The craggy officer sighed, and stared away as he said, "The others didn't even make it to the hospital. As I said. It was bad," he told her, easily reading the shock on her face.

Kim felt her heart clench, and her stomach drop to her toes.

"N-No," she gasped. "Dad….? The Tweebs?"

"It was a bad accident, Kim," the officer told her again as he started the car.

To her horror, she learned that her mother was badly hurt, and still in surgery when she arrived. Fifteen hours later, she was still alive, but in a coma that might, or might not be ending anytime soon.

She was, the doctors admitted, in a very fragile condition, and they still worried, ironically, about brain damage after the severity of her injuries. Kim was left staring at a small body all but wrapped in bandages as she stared into the ICU where nurses and doctors flocked around one of their own to ensure she received the best possible treatment.

Kim was left feeling…..empty.

_To Be Continued….._

_A.N.: A special nod to _Trainer Russ _for the plot bunny that became this tale. _


	2. Chapter 2

_I do not own the characters named herein from either Disney, or D.C., and am only using them for a tale meant for entertainment purposes only._

**Kim Possible: Sacrifices**

**By LJ58**

**2**

Kim sat in the living room of her empty, and unnaturally quiet house.

She had just come from her family's funeral, and her mother remained in a coma, yet to show any signs of recovery. Even Wade, who usually helped her pull off the miraculous on a daily basis, was helpless just then. It was not a good feeling.

The only good thing was that none of her rogues were trying anything just then. She was afraid if they did, they might not survive her wrath.

At first, she had almost feared, or even suspected, one of her enemies had been behind the accident.

She could have almost coped with that.

Almost.

Instead, it was all so….random. And made even worse by the utter stupidity of a drunken man trying to fumble with a new cell phone he was trying to use to text his girlfriend. While driving his truck across three lanes of traffic to plow into the side of her family's van. They never had a chance.

The man, unjustly, came out of the mangled vehicles with only a few bruises.

He claimed not to even remember anything, and kept protesting his innocence.

Unfortunately for him, Wade's area traffic cams had caught the entire scene. From his stumbling from a local bar, to the crash as he sped down the highway before losing control. A close-up on his truck's cab also showed him focused fixedly on the phone in his hands.

Three other cars had also been involved, but none of those people died.

Only her father, and brothers.

And her mother remained comatose.

She looked at up the sound of a knock on her door, and wondered who it might be now. Forcing herself to her feet, hoping it wasn't more sympathetic neighbors, she walked mechanically toward the door. She was a little surprised to see Dr. Director herself standing there with a stern, matronly woman that was at least twice the Global Agent's trim, svelte size.

"Kimberly," the familiar top agent nodded. "I hope you know you have our condolences. Unfortunately, that's not what brought us here."

"Us," she asked, not placing the big woman at the agent's side. "So, what's the sitch," she asked quietly, without much spirit just then.

Dr. Director gave her a bland smile.

"I'm Marion Waters, young lady," the bigger woman sniffed. "I've heard quite a bit about your….antics, and frankly, some of us are concerned…. Very concerned, about your future. That said, I'm here to bring you in."

"Bring me….in," Kim frowned, staring from the woman's blatantly unfriendly face to Dr. Director. "For what?"

"Kimberly, you are still a minor," Dr. Director told him grimly. "Without a proper, or authorized guardian….."

"I'm here to bring you into foster care," the other woman drawled.

"Foster….? My mother is _still_ alive," Kim hissed.

"For how much longer," the woman asked without any hint of sympathy.

Dr. Betty Director was a very observant woman. She didn't miss the way that Kim's hands clenched into fists. Or the faint, telltale clench of her jaw.

"Ms. Waters, I suggest you back off. Now. As I tried to explain even before you waylaid me, we won't be needing your services."

"Darn right. I can take care of myself just fine," Kim spat.

"Oh, I don't think so," the matron sneered. "You're still only sixteen…."

"I'll be seventeen in three weeks, and I've been fighting worse than _you_ for years now," she huffed.

"Indeed. Well, I'll wager your…..antics are about to end, young lady. Our foster family system does not allow your…..lifestyle."

"My lifestyle," Kim sputtered.

"That's enough," Dr. Director moved now, putting herself between the pair in the door to Kim's house when she noted Kim's temper was very close to fraying.

When the redhead's right hand rose slightly, she knew the overfed woman was very close to getting literally tossed out of the Possible residence without even seeing it coming. She then pulled out her communicator, and switched it on.

"Agent Du? Have you found him?"

"We're inbound now, Dr. Director," the stern voice drawled. "It took a little while to convince him, but we will be there in…..nineteen minutes."

"Found….who," Marion Waters demanded as Kim just glowered, knowing well enough that Dr. Director had blatantly cut her off just as she had been about to punch that annoying woman.

"An estranged cousin of your mother's," Betty told Kim, more than the social worker with an obvious axe to grind. "We have known about him for a while, but when it became obvious you needed a new guardian, if only for the moment, we contacted him on your behalf."

"I could have called my Nana….."

"An elderly lady in a nursing home is hardly fit to be watching a willful child," Ms. Waters sniffed. "And I'm sure some dubious cousin…."

"Watch what you say about my Nana," Kim said flatly.

"Touch me, young lady, and you'll be in court before you can blink."

Kim glared now.

"I wouldn't have to touch you. I'd just have to tell my Nana you think she's a 'helpless, old lady,'" Kim smirked.

Even Betty had to smile at that one.

"I should tell you," Dr. Director told the woman. "Mrs. Possible is one of the first, and best Global Justice agents that ever served. She literally helped _write_ the book we still use."

Kim smiled at the way the other woman blinked in surprise at that.

"And, by the way, how is your nephew?"

"My….nephew," Dr. Director heard her echo in confusion as the agent held out her own PDA for both of them to see.

"Looks like conflict of interest to me," Kim murmured, seeing a known face from her own rogue's gallery displayed there under 'Frugal' Lucre's mugshot.

The woman just glowered at her.

"My nephew was innocent. You and that thug you run around with framed him…."

"A jury disagreed," Betty cut her off. "And then there was his less than stellar employment history that Martin Smarty himself handed over from his company files."

"That old man was just jealous….."

"Of _Francis_," Kim huffed.

Marion Waters glowered anew.

"I'm still a state social service case worker, and I've been assigned…."

"You volunteered to ascertain the case of Ms. Possible's standing," Dr. Director cut her off. "Which made me suspicious from the start, especially after you intercepted me on my way here. Now, we can wait on Kimberly's cousin, and see what he deems proper, or you can leave now."

"I will wait. I have little doubt this…..child will need the state's protection….."

"As if," Kim huffed.

"Or mine," Marion added.

Kim closed her eyes.

Dr. Director saw her infamous temper surging again.

Kimberly usually controlled herself better than this, but Betty knew the young woman was already dealing with a lot just now.

"Ms. Waters. You can wait in your car, or you can set down, and be quiet," the top agent growled.

"No matter who you are, I'm still an authorized civil servant of the state, and you are just….."

"You…..can wait outside," Kim said curtly, and shoved her back the few feet she had managed before she slammed the door in her face.

"You'll likely pay for that," Dr. Director smiled blandly at her.

"Probably. But I didn't punch her," she muttered.

"Yet?"

"I wanted to," she admitted, turning from the banging on the now locked door to head for the phone. "But it wouldn't help….anything."

"No. Legally, she has a point. Until we hear from your cousin…."

"I know," she said, picking up the phone. Dialing a number, she waited for an answer, and asked, "Hello? Oh, Sgt. Bender, this is Kim Possible. Yes. Yes, and thank you. Listen, I've got a crazed social worker with a grudge trying to break in my house. She's related to that _Lucre_ family. You remember? Well, I really don't want to have to hurt her, but…. You will," she asked, sounding surprised. "I really appreciate that. Thank you, and I hope you won't get into any trouble. No, she's just…. Well, I think she's unstable."

She managed a laugh, and hung up after saying goodbye.

"Something funny," Dr. Director laughed.

"He suggested instability ran in _her_ family. He's coming over himself," she said, glancing at the door where the banging had now turned into angry shouts.

"Clever," Dr. Director said. "That said, you really are in a….unique position just now, Kimberly. We cannot just leave you alone. Whatever your…..abilities."

"So, I can travel the globe, and save the world, but I can't stay in my own house until my mom…..gets better," she complained.

"Kimberly, we both know the prognosis doesn't look good."

Kim's eyes brightened for a moment, then she shook her head, and turned toward the kitchen.

"Would you like tea? I'm going to make some."

"I heard you weren't very good in the kitchen."

"I've had a few lessons," she sniffed quietly. "I can manage tea," she said, and reached blindly for a kettle.

"Why don't you let me. Sit down. I'll wait with you until your uncle arrives."

"I didn't even know mom had any other family. She never talked about them."

"She was disowned when she married James. Her grandparents weren't fond of him. The cousin you have is another black sheep. I'll warn you, he is a bachelor, and lives alone. He has a bit of a reputation, too, but it's...mixed."

"Mixed," Kim asked, sitting at the breakfast nook, and thinking how weird it was to watch Dr. Director making them tea where her mother usually stood.

"Yes. He has quite the reputation as a genius in business, and the scientific field. As well as being a noted philanthropist."

"But," Kim asked, sensing another shoe.

"He's also got quite the reputation as a playboy. One that seriously plays the field, as it were."

"Yeah, that cow is really going to let _him_ be my guardian," she grumbled.

"He's also very rich," Betty added. "So don't count him out just yet. He likely has more contacts than you do, Kimberly."

Kim said nothing to that as Betty set the steaming cup of green tea in front of her.

"Thanks," she murmured, and simply stared into it as the senior agent settled near her, giving her space, but staying close enough to talk.

"You're welcome. Listen, Kimberly, I also think you should….take a hiatus."

"Hiatus?"

"You know what I mean. You wouldn't be the first agent, of any age, to make mistakes in the filed after….personal trials of this magnitude. I'm not demanding you quit, and you know I respect you, and Ronald, both, but….."

"I get it. Just now, all I care about is my mom anyway," she sighed. "You think," she said quietly, only then lifting her cup, "With all those scientific geniuses, someone would have made something to….help. But, no, all we get are mind-control chips, and death rays," she complained.

"You've seen too much of the wrong side of the field, Kimberly," Dr. Director told her quietly. "I can assure you, there are people that genuinely trying to solve some of our real problems."

"I know. Dad is….. Was…."

She sighed, and shook her head, slowly raising the cup to her lips to sip from the hot liquid as she cut off whatever she had been about to say.

"I know it sounds clichéd, Kimberly," Betty told her quietly, not bothering to reach out to her. "But things will get better."

Which, of course, was when someone banged on the door again.

"We'd better check. Your police friends might have shown up by now," Dr. Director advised her.

Kim sighed, and set her still mostly untouched cup aside, looking at the stove mournfully.

Betty said nothing as the knock sounded louder, more insistent. Kim eyed her, then shrugged, and headed for the door.

"Maybe I'd better answer it," she suggested as she joined Kim.

"Please, and thank you," came the dispirited reply.

Betty said nothing as the redhead stood back now, and she opened the door.

Two burly officers in blue were standing there, and Marion Waters still stood nearby, looking smug.

"Ma'am….?"

"Dr. Director, Global Justice," she said, flashing her badge. "How can I help you officer?"

"Well, ma'am, I know Kim's having trouble just now, but…. It seems Ms. Waters there called someone in the capital. They've put out an _immediate_ pickup order for…..Kim's own good, as I understand it," he said, looking grim.

The stocky woman's smugness now made sense.

Before she made any reply, though, knowing she could all but feel the anger rising off Kim just then, they all looked up as the shrill turbines of a sleek, black and red VTOL that was settling to the ground just beyond the police, and official cars now filling the drive.

"Actually, Officer Sands," she told him, reading his nameplate, "I do believe Miss Possible's _legal_ guardian just appeared."

"You have no standing here, woman," Marion shrilled. "Just hand her over, and I'll take her where she needs to go."

"And where is that," Kim asked as she stepped forward now, deceptively calm.

The same grim demeanor Dr. Director knew well enough from past experience.

Kimberly was very close to kicking the woman down the street. Literally.

"That is not your concern. As a state official….."

"As an _international_ legal expert," Betty spoke up, "And Kimberly's provisional employer, and guardian on behalf of her parents, I do have concerns. You're related to a known, and hostile felon, and I am not turning her over to your authority without more than vague claims. Now, why don't we all listen to what Kimberly's _family_ has to say," she suggested to the hitherto silent police sergeant who was casting less than friendly looks at the other woman.

The jet had settled by then, but it said something that no one in the neighborhood gave it a second look as the hatch opened, and Agent Du jumped out just before a tall, muscular man in an immaculate suit stepped out.

Even Kimberly knew that face.

"Kimberly," the man said as he walked over, and gave her a faint smile. "You cannot imagine how surprised I was to hear that you needed me."

"Now see here," the stocky matron huffed. "You aren't needed here, Mr….."

"Wayne," the man with piercing eyes glanced her way. "Bruce Wayne. I appreciate your concern over my cousin, but I'll take it from here."

Not one of the officers didn't gape at that name, and Kim just sighed.

"I don't suppose I could just stay here?"

Bruce turned back to eye her, and then the house behind her.

"I don't think that would be viable just now, Kimberly."

"Just….Kim, please," she said quietly.

"You have no right….."

Bruce spun around now, and eyed her.

"Ms. Waters, I believe you're about to have your own troubles," he said as he nodded at another state car that was pulling up near the GJ jet. "Goodbye."

The woman turned, and stared as a small, bald man levered his pudgy body out of the car, and glared her way.

The woman grimaced, and looked less than confident now as Bruce lifted his chin, and stared down at her with blatant disdain.

"You….."

"Goodbye," he echoed, and turned his back on her.

"As I guessed. Her volunteering to take care of Kimberly wasn't quite legal, was it," Betty asked him.

Bruce eyed the one-eyed agent for a moment, then gave a curt nod.

"It seems that Ms. Waters neglected to mention she wrote out her own orders, and then forgot to file those orders with her superiors. I suspect she intended something nefarious for my cousin….."

"Like she could have done anything to me," Kim huffed.

"I don't discount your abilities, young lady," Bruce surprised her by saying. "But it has been my experience that overconfidence can create more problems than you likely consider possible."

"You'd be surprised what I can consider," Kim muttered. "But why can't I just stay here. My mom….."

"Is being moved to a special facility to care for her," Bruce told her. "At my expense. Meanwhile, I have…..critical business concerns back in Gotham I cannot leave untended for long. That said, you'll be moving in with me until your mother recovers."

Kim swallowed hard at that.

"You should know," Dr. Director started to tell him.

"I know Ann, Dr. Director," the billionaire playboy cut her off. "I daresay better than even you do. If there is the slightest chance, she'll be fine. I intend to see she gets that chance. Now, Kimberly, why don't you pack, and I'll wait on you. Feel free to take anything you want."

"But…..my house," she rasped, looking younger, and more vulnerable than Betty had ever seen her before then.

"Don't worry," Bruce told her, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder only then. "I'll be setting up a caretaker to keep it up, and manage until you can come home."

"It's not that. I…. I can turn on the security system, but….."

"Security system," Bruce asked.

"It is beyond state of the art," Dr. Director told him. "Her family had….unique enemies."

"Yes," Bruce murmured more knowingly than the agent expected. "I do believe I've read of Kimberly's…..adventures. Quite enthralling. I suspect you'll find Gotham much _quieter,_ though," he added. "Why, hardly anything ever happens there."

"And…..my missions," she dared ask him belatedly when she just stood there, trying to absorb all that was happening as the pudgy man nearby was now all but dragging Marion Waters away while obviously chiding her severely.

"Let's take that a step at a time, all right," he smiled. "I'm not looking to run your life, but give yourself time to breathe. And grieve. Trust me, I know how important that can be," he told her somberly. "For now, you're what matters. Agreed," he asked, and looked around at the officers, and Betty.

"Absolutely," Sgt. Bender nodded. "And don't worry, Miss Possible. We'll be keeping an eye on your home while you're away. Not that we'll need to much if you're leaving that alarm system of yours on."

Kim considered that.

"I suppose I'd better pack. I'd better shut everything off, but….still, there is no telling what…..what the Tweebs…..left behind," she sighed, and sniffed again.

"Tweebs," Bruce echoed.

"Why don't we talk," Dr. Director suggested as Kim walked back into the house to pack.

_To Be Continued…_


	3. Chapter 3

_I do not own the characters named herein from either Disney, or D.C., and am only using them for a tale meant for entertainment purposes only._

**Kim Possible: Sacrifices**

**By LJ58**

**3**

"Whoa," Kim murmured as she stared up at the house as the genuine Rolls the lanky man with a very stiffly groomed façade drove her and Bruce from the airport to a genuine mansion.

"Be it ever so humble," Bruce said blandly.

"So, how many people live here," she asked curiously. "I have to be honest, mom never said much about you."

"I don't wonder. Our families never….got along."

"Oh. So…..?"

"Including you, three," Bruce told her as Alfred stopped the car in front of the main entrance. "Alfred will take your things to a room. Then I'll show you around. I hope I can trust you to accept that West Wing is off limits. I'm still…..refurbishing it, you see, and some of the floors are….unstable."

Kim just nodded as she climbed out of the car behind him, and looked up at the imposing structure.

"Seems a waste," she said quietly. "All that space for just…us."

"Well, I do occasionally have guests. And it comes in handy when I throw a party or two for the local VIPs," he smiled.

"Oh."

She sighed, wondering what Ron would make of this place. She had said a few quick goodbyes to most of her closest friends, but she was already missing home. She was struck by the huge portrait of a young couple posing with a child that hung over a mantle in the main hall when they walked into the house.

"You," she guessed, seeing Bruce's features in that child.

"Yes. Right before my parents were….murdered."

"What? Oh, that's….."

"You see," he smiled blandly as ever. "I do understand grief, Kimberly. You will survive. Just as I did."

"Indeed," Alfred remarked dryly, his dour manner giving nothing away.

"What about….?"

"The rest of your things should arrive soon," Bruce assured her. "Don't worry. I have very good people working for me," he told her.

"Oh, well. Okay," she murmured, and followed him into the main house as he began showing her around.

"So, how did you and mom get….blacklisted? I mean, she never said much about her side of the family, and I can't really see anyone…..ignoring a rich, single guy," she said, trying to sound casual.

"Let's just say that we both had…..issues," Bruce said, as Alfred walked past them again just then, carrying her few bags allowed on the commercial jet they had taken from the airport in Denver to reach Gotham.

Kim, knowing a dismissal when she heard one, said nothing more to that.

After twenty minutes, she had the lay of the main house that Bruce allowed her access to, warning her from the West Wing, and telling her the East Wing was the site of his personal gym, if she wished to work out. He then led her out to the garage.

"Do you drive?"

"I….have a car," she said, staring at the rows of costly cars from expensive sports cars to even more expensive private limos.

"Do you want me to have it shipped…..?"

"Actually, my friend Wade has it just now. He's….upgrading it for me."

"Upgrading," Bruce asked.

"Well, it already has flight capabilities, and a rudimentary robotic auto-drive. Wade was doing something about perfecting the systems, though," she said. "He'll….probably let me know when it's ready."

"I see. What model car…..?"

"An old Roth," she smiled with a bit of chagrin. "It was dad's, and he….handed it down. My brothers," she said quietly, pausing a moment to look off, "They….fixed it up for me, and Wade has been improving it since."

"A Roth," Bruce murmured. "I didn't realize there were any still around."

"Well, dad was….big on…."

"It's all right," Bruce told her, and steered her back toward the house when she found herself crying again without warning. "Come on. You can rest, and I really do need to….get to work. Even rich men have to show up at the office on occasion," he smiled wanly.

Kim said nothing as he passed her off to Alfred, and then disappeared.

**KP**

"…still aren't sure what to think," Kim admitted. "Of course, I've only been here a week, and I've actually seen him once the whole time. He seems to be in and out at all hours, and really putting in a lot of hours. I guess he takes his work seriously."

"Work, Kim," Wade frowned from the Kimmunicator screen as she sat against the wall on her balcony, her legs stretched out along the railing she was balanced on. "From what I've found….."

"You're investigating my cousin," Kim sputtered.

"Well, I was worried. So is Ron, and the rest of your friends. I have to admit, Kim, Mr. Wayne doesn't have the best reputation in his personal life. Nineteen affairs with high profile models and celebrities in the past six months. Two cars crashed under mysterious circumstances, and rumors he was involved in a few fights that were somehow kept under the official radar. And I don't mean bullies trading slaps. He's apparently put people in the hospital."

"Well, he seems…..intense. I'm guessing since he doesn't have a bodyguard, he likely knows how to take care of himself. You should see the private gym he has here."

Wade sighed.

"So, any word from your mom yet?"

"No. He got her put into a private clinic with a lot of expensive experts, but so far, no change," Kim sighed.

"Well, if I can do anything….."

"Just….keep me on hiatus for now, Wade. I….. I don't know what I'm going to be doing for a while, to be honest. I'm still getting used to Gotham High. They actually have armed guards here. In the halls."

"Well, Gotham City isn't Middleton," the young genius told her.

"Yeah. I've noticed. So, how long before my car is ready? It's kind of weird having Alfred drive me around in the Rolls."

"A real Rolls?"

"Classic convertible Rolls. But the back is bulletproofed, and likely bombproof, from what I can tell. Let me tell you, it doesn't make settling into the local school very easy when everyone thinks I'm some kind of celebrity laying low, or something."

"I can see that. Give me a few more days, and I'll be sending the Roth your way. I can use your Kimmunicator beacon to send it to you, so don't switch it off."

"Thanks, Wade. I better go now. Homework, and all. You know?"

"Need any help?"

"I think I can manage. After Mr. Barkin, these teachers are pretty…..laid back."

"I'll bet. Any messages you want to pass on," the young genius asked her now.

"Just…. Just tell everyone I miss them. I'm thinking of them. And….try to keep Ron straight," she tried to tease.

"Hey, some things are beyond even me," Wade grinned. "But I'll try."

"Thanks, Wade. I really appreciate everything you're doing."

"Like you say, no big, Kim. I'm just glad you're safe."

"Thanks, Wade," she said again, and felt a bit peculiar about his statement.

She still thought about the fact she would have been in the van with her family if she had not gone with Ron, and Monique. She would have been in the back with the Tweebs. Likely on the right side, as usual. The very place where the drunk's truck has slammed into her family's vehicle.

She sighed, and slid the Kimmunicator into a pocket as she rose to her feet, balanced on the rail, and just stared up into the night as she tried to reorder her thoughts.

And considered the guilt she found still plagued her at surviving untouched.

**KP**

"Nothing?"

"Nothing," Shego said to her blue-skinned employer as she walked back into the lair after visiting a certain small town that was number one on their mutual hit parade. "No one is saying anything, but I've heard a lot of rumors."

"What rumors?"

_"She's_ dead, too, and they're hiding it. She's hurt bad, and had to be hidden so no one could find her while she's recovering. I heard someone saying something about a Possible being in a coma, and being taken off by someone for experimental surgery. Frankly, Doc, one thing is clear. There are three new graves in the local cemetery, and Kimmie's dad, and brothers all died."

"So, that's why she hasn't been around," the madman murmured. "A shame we don't know for sure where she's at. If she is hurt, we could….."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. I don't kick puppies, and I don't hurt people that can't stand up, and fight back. Even I have standards, Drakken," she growled. "Besides, if she is hurt that bad, it's not like she's going to be getting in our way any longer."

Dr. Drakken glowered at her, and then slowly began to smirk.

"There is that. If she is gone. Perhaps, hopefully, forever, we will finally be able to accomplish what I've always known is my ultimate destiny!"

"To be as lame as possible without trying?"

_"Yes!_ I….. Shego," he growled at the woman settling into a lounger under a sunlamp, reaching for a file as she held up a hand.

"Yeah," she asked, sounding blatantly indifferent.

"You should be more respectful! Without Possible, I'll finally be able to create the perfect plan to finally, ultimately, bring the world to it's knees."

"Good luck with that one."

Dr. Drakken scowled, but turned, and stalked off toward his lab.

"You'll see," he ranted, "I shall soon be victorious!"

"Whatever," Shego muttered, and focused on her nails. "Let me know if you actually get an original idea."

Drakken's incomprehensible reply was lost behind the slamming of a door.

**KP**

"In early, Master Bruce," Alfred asked as he approached the costumed man sitting before a massive supercomputer in a shadowy cavern beneath the huge manor overhead.

"It's unusually quiet of late," the man called the Bat growled. "I don't like it."

"Perhaps you're simply becoming more effective," the loyal retainer suggested.

"I doubt it. Something is going on. Someone is pulling the usual thugs back for something. My instincts suggest it's going to be something big."

"I see. Meanwhile, are you aware that your cousin is having issues with her classmates."

Bruce looked up, his cowled visage grimmer than ever, and asked, "Is someone bothering her?"

"I believe the term is…..shunning. She cannot seem to relate to her peers in the local high school. I believe that her grief, and the separation from her own friends, is causing problems for the young lady. To be honest, I'm a little worried, sir."

"You think she might be getting into trouble?"

"I've seen her standing on the balcony several times this week."

"It is a nice view," he murmured, looking back to the data on the computer.

_"On_ the balcony railing, sir," Alfred added. "I fear I had quite the shock the first time I saw her there. I feared….."

"I doubt you have to worry, old friend," Bruce told her, leaning back in his chair.

"But, Master Bruce…."

"I don't think you're really aware of just who our houseguest is, Alfred," he said, and reached out, and tapped a few keys. "So," he said, bringing up another screen with more colorful images. "Meet Kim Possible."

Alfred gaped as he studied the website, and the apparent history of an apparent cheerleader.

"My word," he rasped. "Is this….?"

"Miss Possible is quite talented. And very capable. Which is why I've already been looking into the attack on her family."

"Attack? But didn't the authorities say…..?"

"I've checked the crime scene reports, and all the photo evidence. It was no accident. Her family was deliberately targeted. The question is, do I tell her, or not?"

"She will be bound to wonder how you learned it," Alfred realized.

"Yes. Then, too, in her state of mind…."

"You're afraid of another Jason," Alfred realized.

"There is a reason I haven't tried to train another partner," he said grimly. "Let's face it. This is not a business for children."

"Apparently, Miss Possible is following her own example," Alfred commented.

"All the same, I will not burden her more in her current state of mind. Nothing good would come of it. For now, I'll keep this to myself. Meanwhile, perhaps you could….."

"With all due respect, sir," Alfred cut him off with a knowing expression. "She is _your_ cousin."

Bruce scowled, but turned back to the computer.

"If I have time, I'll try to have the evening meal with her, and…..touch bases."

Alfred sighed.

"As you say, Master Bruce. Will there be anything else?"

"No. I'll be busy the rest of the night here. The city might be quiet just now, but I know something is going on. I just have to figure it out before it blows up in our faces."

"Indeed. Well, I shan't keep you. I'm sure you'll figure it out in due time," the ever proper man said as he walked away. "Do try to eat before the soup turns to ice, though. I'm told it's not very good then."

Bruce snorted at his sardonic friend as he stayed focused on the screen before him, sifting the seemingly incoherent clues to try to make a comprehensible pattern he could follow. He did reach out, deftly claiming the mug of coffee on the tray, but otherwise ignored the covered tray.

**KP**

Kim was coming from the East Wing, a towel around her shoulders as she was still sweating after the workout she had just completed. Even as she headed for the stairs, she saw Alfred coming from the West Wing, and instinctively just ducked to one side of the shadowy hall, and watched him.

She had already caught him watching her at times.

Five times, she noted, he seemed to be making sure where she was before he almost always went into the West Wing. He often stayed down that way for hours, too. In fact, a lot of times, she had seen Bruce Wayne himself headed into that Wing he claimed unfinished, and dangerous.

She didn't think he would be the type to be doing any work himself. Overseeing, perhaps, but there were no workmen. No crews coming in. Just his declaration that the West Wing needed work, and she should avoid it.

She didn't give it much thought, but now she was starting to get suspicious.

Just what was Mr. Wayne hiding?

And why was Alfred Pennyworth keeping such a close eye on her? At first, she thought they might be worried about her mental state. Only so far as she could tell, they were simply ensuring she wasn't around when they visited the West Wing. Which suggested something was being hidden.

Bruce had only actually eaten with her once in the two weeks since she had come here, and tended to avoid her most times as he came and went on his 'business.' Even when she noted he was not actually leaving. If he were, he would have been driving. Or being driven. But he seemed to disappear a lot without any vehicle ever leaving the grounds.

What was really going on?

Was it her business?

She wasn't sure what was going on, but it did spark her curiosity.

She waited for Alfred to continue on into the back of the house before she headed for the steps, and toward her room to shower.

She wasn't sure why, but this time, she pulled out her Kimmunicator, and switched on the scanner as she walked into the room. She frowned as the panel glowed red. Moving around the room, she found two bugs, and a camera just outside the balcony that was hidden in the framework over the glass doors.

No cameras in her bedroom, or bathroom, but the listening devices were still telling.

Why would even someone like Bruce Wayne bug his own house?

She was getting a lot of questions, and without anything else to divert her of late, she was starting to wonder more and more just what was going on. And why Bruce had really let her join him. He obviously wasn't that worried about her. He brought her home, and dumped her. Left her to her own devices, or Alfred's suspect care, and otherwise ignored her.

Something, her gut told her, was going on here.

Switching the switch on the Kimmunicator, she tapped a key, and waited.

"Hey, Kim," Wade said grimly as she started to talk. "Good timing. I was about to call you."

"You were?"

"Yes. So, why did you need?"

"You first? Why were you about to call me?"

"C'mon, Kim? You must want something? What I have is….troubling, so let's get whatever you need out of the way first," the younger boy suggested.

"Fine. I've been getting a weird vibe off this house, and Bruce Wayne of late," she admitted. "Can you….scan the house for me? The whole house?"

"Well, I could check out the blueprints on file, and run a sonar scan from here. Anything else would require you…..moved around. Can you do that?"

"Well, except for the West Wing. They don't want me in there for some reason, and it's starting to feel hinky to me."

"Let me dig a little, and I'll check things out. Don't explore yet, until we know for certain what might be going on."

"By the way, my room was bugged."

"Was?"

"I found two listening devices, and shut them down. There's a camera out on my balcony, too."

"Well, he's a rich guy. He probably has a lot of house security."

"Inside a guest room?"

Wade said nothing to that.

"So, what did you need," Kim asked. "Don't tell me Drakken is back already?"

"No. No word from any of your usual rogues lately. I think some of them are waiting to see if you're really dead, or not."

"Dead," she frowned. _"Me?"_

"There have been some rumors," Wade admitted. "That's not why I called, though."

"Okay. What's the sitch?"

Wade almost smiled.

"I was actually missing that one," he admitted. "But, seriously, I did some checking myself after the way the state police closed that accident report so fast. Kim, I don't think your folks' accident was an accident."

Kim felt her blood turn cold.

"What," she hissed.

"Too many things don't make sense. So I went back, and rechecked a few things. The driver didn't swerve across the lanes until the very moment your dad was almost to him. He didn't steer away, he drove right at your family's van. And, Kim, I intercepted a call from the guys cell the moment before the accident. He said….._I see them_. Kim, I think you, and your family were targeted. Only, I'm thinking they thought you were still in the van, too."

"Where's the driver now?"

"Disappeared after being bailed out two days ago."

"By who," she demanded hotly.

"No clue. Whoever it was used a fake identity. Both of them, the man that bailed him out, and the driver, were using fake identification. Good ones, too. The truck was stolen, and the plates changed. These guys were obviously pros. They literally vanished after they left the precinct. Kim, someone was targeting you. It's the only thing that makes sense."

Kim felt her free hand clench.

"Have you found anything else?"

"Not yet. But I'm looking. Oh, and the Roth is on the way. Look in the trunk when it arrives," she was told. "I'm sending you some new gear."

"Whoa," Kim murmured.

"What is it? I always send you….?"

"No. It's just…. Over the city just now? I just saw that Bat-signal thingy Ron mentioned once. I think that guy is for real. Why else have a signal just for him?"

"The Bat? He's an urban legend, Kim," Wade scoffed. "I'll get onto that search for you now. If you need anything….."

"Have you told Ron anything," Kim cut him off.

"Not yet. I wasn't sure…."

"Don't," she cut him off again. "You know Ron. If he's being watched, he might let something slip. So far, it's been quiet. But if you're right, and if someone is after me…..?"

"I'll keep looking. No one is that good. I'll find a clue, and I'll let you know when I do."

"Good. And, Wade. Keep this one between us. I want this guy," she said coldly. "Personally."

"What are you going to do," Wade asked.

"I don't know," Kim said quietly. "God help me, I don't know. But he's not getting away with this," she told her friend. "Not after what they did to my family."

"I'll be in touch. Remember the trunk," she was told before Wade's image vanished.

_To Be Continued…._


	4. Chapter 4

_I do not own the characters named herein from either Disney, or D.C., and am only using them for a tale meant for entertainment purposes only._

**Kim Possible: Sacrifices**

**By LJ58**

**4**

"She knows," Bruce told Alfred when he came down that evening.

Alfred looked horrified.

"Knows, sir," he rasped, looking around.

Bruce sighed, in costume, but his cowl pushed back just then.

"Not about me. She knows about the accident. Or rather, the faux accident."

"But, how?"

"The same way she found two of our security bugs in her room," he smirked dryly. "Her young friend. That device she carries is obviously more than a cell phone. Which concerns me. If it detected our listening devices, what else might it be able to find."

Alfred looked alarmed again.

"You can't mean….?"

"I've checked out her friend. Twelve years old, and he has _three_ PhDs already. Working on a fourth. He's probably one of the five smartest minds on the planet. Certainly in the top three."

"I see," the man murmured, and set his tray down on the side of the supercomputer where Bruce had been working again. "Do we try to….neutralize the device, then?"

"We have no choice. Try to catch her when she's working out, or at school…."

"When she's in the gym, then. She seems to carry it with her all the time otherwise….."

"Is that a flying car, sir," Alfred stared as a security monitor lit up, and showed a small, flying coupe just outside Kimberly's window just then.

"She told me the car flew. I wonder what propulsion system she's using. It's surprisingly quiet, and quite…stable," he murmured, faltering for a second as they watched Kim leapt off the balcony, landing on the side of the car just as the door opened, and easily sliding inside with a grace all her own.

"I do believe she's as bad as you, sir," Alfred commented as the door closed, and the car banked, and flew off at high speed.

"When I first heard of her, I couldn't believe she was putting down genuine rogues, or accomplishing half of what was attributed to her," Bruce admitted as the monitor lost the small, purple coupe that vanished into the sky. "I've monitored her since. And observed some of her workouts. She could likely give Dick a hard time."

"Truly? That is impressive, considering his skills."

"Yes. What puzzles me is where she's going, and what she's up to now."

"If, as you say, she learned the truth of her family's demise, I suspect she's going to be doing just what you tried to do, sir," Alfred deadpanned.

"Yes, but the question is, what will she do if…. When she finds them. These are the usual rogues she faces. The data I've studied suggested professional assassins."

"But why would such men target her?"

Bruce eyed his longtime friend and former guardian.

"You really need to study her dossier, old friend. She's got a rogue's gallery that almost rivals mine."

"Oh, dear. But….she's so young."

"Yes, she is," he said grimly. "Young enough to make mistakes. Watch for her return. We need that device of hers out of commission. And I suggest we check out that vehicle of hers when she returns."

"You think she will?"

Bruce eyed him, and shook his head.

"She'll be back. She left her….things," he said, scowling at the odd stuffed animal on her bed in that single image of her room.

She was good enough to find some of his security devices. Just not all of them. Still, had they not been in passive mode at the time, she might have found them all. Whoever Wade was, he was obviously good. Too good to risk his secrets with.

**KP**

"Did you know," Kim asked bluntly when she walked into Dr. Director's office, after all but crashing her headquarters, surprising most of the sentries on duty when she managed to slip past the outer security.

"Since I'm not sure what you mean, Kimberly, I'll have to ask for clarification this time," Dr. Director commented as she looked up from her computer where she was studying something when Kim walked in on her.

"My family. That man was no real drunk. He attacked them."

Dr. Director sighed, and shoved back from her desk to eye her.

"We were still investigating when the driver vanished. He wasn't even supposed to be bailed out, but someone….high up arranged it. Understand?"

"So, either one of the Agency's, or someone is corrupt. Which is it?"

"I don't know. I'm still looking myself," the one-eyed woman admitted. "What about Wade?"

"He's looking, too," she stated baldly. "When were you going to tell me?"

Betty said nothing at first.

"Were you going to tell me?"

"Kimberly, you've been having enough trouble coping….."

"What I'm having trouble doing is pretending nothing happened when someone tried to kill me."

"You," Betty frowned now.

"It's the only thing that makes sense. Why would anyone target my family when they could have been hit anywhere, at anytime. But if anyone was watching, they knew I went out with my parents that day. They knew we were at the park, and I was about to go home with them until….."

"Is this survivor's guilt," Dr. Director asked carefully.

"Oh, no. Don't try that with me. Yes, I feel guilt. I should have been there. I could have…."

"You could have died."

Kim said nothing to that.

"They aren't getting away with this, Dr. Director. I don't know who they are, or why they did this, but I'm not letting them get away with it. You help find them, because one way, or another, I will get them."

"You're still a provisional agent, Kimberly," Betty reminded her, having hired her not long after the Lil' Diablo fiasco that gave GJ a very big black eye when Drakken almost literally conquered the world with a few cybertronic toys built right under their noses. "Not a vigilante."

Kim shuddered physically, then glared at her.

"Do you honestly think I would dishonor my family's memory like that. No, I want them found, because I'm dragging them back to jail. Where they can suffer."

"I'll use Wade, as usual, if we find anything to report," Dr. Director finally nodded to her. "Now, considering the hour, I suggest you get back to Gotham. I understand you have school tomorrow."

She snorted.

"That school is a joke. I could skip every day, and still pass," she grumbled.

"All the same, I suspect your guardian won't like you running out on him as you likely did. And don't forget, you still have those like Ms. Waters out there that might think to use the law against you."

"What happened to her?"

"Oddly enough, nothing. She's still on the job."

Kim frowned.

"Maybe…."

"We're checking her out, too. Aside from her connection to Lucre, she did rather conveniently show up just when you were supposedly alone," Dr. Director remarked. "We are doing our jobs, Kimberly, so go home, and let us continue doing them."

"Home," Kim rasped, and suddenly looked miserable.

Betty sighed, and shook her head.

"Go," she told her. "You still need rest. If I know you, you haven't relaxed in the past two weeks."

"I can't relax," she complained.

"Why not?"

"I….."

She frowned, wondering how it would sound if she admitted her guardian was bugging her room, and acting vaguely suspicious.

"I just can't," she said, but turned to go anyway. "Just…. Promise me you'll call when you find them," she asked.

"If Wade doesn't do it first," Betty smirked.

"Well, I can hope," she said.

"Any improvement from your mother?"

"You don't know?"

"Even I can't stay on top of everything," Betty allowed. "And that clinic where Wayne moved her is so exclusive it's almost impossible to get anyone inside."

"Oh. Well, no. No change," Kim said quietly.

"Don't give up hope, Kim. If she's lasted this long….."

Kim nodded.

"I know mom's tough. I just hope….."

"Go home," Betty told her. "Get some rest."

"I'll be in touch," Kim promised, and walked out of the office without looking back.

**KP**

"She's back," Alfred reported over the radio, the Bat being away just then when he spotted the flying car settling onto the drive just outside the garage after dropping Kim off over her balcony.

The small coupe then flew around the manor, settled down to the ground, and parked itself. Even shutting off the engine, and going dark.

Quite astonishing, actually.

"What is she doing?"  
"Apparently, preparing for bed," Alfred said dryly. "I switched off the video when she went to the bathroom," he pointed out. There was no reply, so he added, "She actually parked her vehicle without being in it. Or, rather, it parked itself."

"Auto-drive systems aren't unknown to us," the Bat's gruff voice replied.

"Obviously, sir. I was unaware teenage girls used them, though."

"You haven't really read her file, have you, Alfred," his grim employer asked.

"I'm…..still sifting it, sir. I've had a bit of extra work of late. The young lady is not the _best_ of housekeepers."

He got no response to that.

"Sir?"

"Later," came the curt reply. "I just spotted trouble."

Alfred sighed, and knowingly closed the channel.

He glanced at the motion sensor that suggested their guest was now settled, and gave her another ten minutes before he went up.

**KP**

Kim watched from the shadows, completely cloaked now in her new battle-suit's stealth mode, and saw Alfred walked out of the wall.

Or rather, out of the passage behind a huge clock on the wall.

Wade's sweep had found five more devices, three of them motion sensors in her room, and hall, and she guessed they were keeping a closer eye on her than she had realized. Still, it was easy to disappear, then duck them, and then she headed down into the West Wing to find it in pristine condition, not one sign of disrepair, and rather suspiciously well-decorated.

She picked a spot, and waited.

While she had reputation for impulsiveness, she did know how to be patient when necessary. You didn't stalk some of her rogues without learning that much. So she waited, and watched. And waited.

Then, the stiff old man walked out of the wall.

She didn't move a muscle, and even held her breath as he passed nearby in spite of being cloaked.

Just in case.

Stiff as he was, the man was surprisingly spry, and obviously observant. It all suggested a background beyond being a mere butler.

So, if he was butler-plus, then what did that make his employer?

At her request, Wade began monitoring Bruce. He did show himself as a shallow, rather arrogant playboy at times, dabbling in charities for his publicity's sake, but Wayne-Tech was a genuine scientific center of late. And Bruce himself was often MIA far more often than his usual antics, or business claims would, or should have allowed.

So, she asked herself, what was really going on?

She suspected it was behind that clock.

Especially since Wade's thermal scans had already suggested there was a major underground complex immediately under the huge manor. One that screamed lair in her mind.

Wade agreed, and suggested he call Ron for backup.

"Not just yet," she had told him. "I need to make sure this isn't some eccentric playboy game. If I need you, or Ron, I'll call," she had assured her longtime friend.

She didn't doubt that Wade was following her closely just now. Moving closer, she eyed the clock, swept a hand up, and down it's sides. Checked the top. The base. Then, noted a certain pattern on the ticking clock. She noted the recent smudges on a panel over the clock face, and opened it.

It took her all of ten seconds to use her Kimmunicator to unlock the mechanism contained inside to make the clock suddenly lift, and slide back to reveal the dark passage beyond. She stepped through without hesitation, and didn't even look back as the clock slid back into place once she had passed through.

She walked forward, saw two passages, and noted again the wear passages on the left, and right, were about equal.

She chose right.

She stopped, eyeing the dark pit before her, and frowned as she tried to look down, but saw only more darkness.

Okay, a lift, or something that was missing?

She went back left, and came across a set of stairs that began widely enough, but narrowed as they curled around a thin pillar, and then flared out again as she descended.

Even as they did, she found herself gaping as she stepped beyond the stairs, and found herself standing in a cavern that Dr. Drakken couldn't have managed on his best day. She looked around, staring at improbable tech, vehicles, and even a row of costumes in immaculate glass cases despite being underground.

She looked around, and realized there were apparently some kind of trophies, or mementoes from the way certain items were lined up.

And then she saw the computer.

She took a step toward it, and felt a faint buzzing as her stealth cloak deactivated itself, and she realized something was coming.

She frowned, looking down at herself, and guessed there was some kind of security system around the computer itself. It had suddenly locked down, and several lights were blinking. She didn't hear anything. No siren, or alarm. But those blinking lights bothered her.

Then came the roar of muted rockets, a sound she knew well, filled the air, and a long, black rocket car blasted out of the darkness to stop abruptly on a platform nearby, and even as the platform itself rotated to point the car back the way it had come, the top opened, and a shadowy, seemingly winged figure leapt out to stand before her.

"Whoa," she murmured, just staring.

"My word," Alfred's familiar voice sounded behind her. "Sir, I….."

"Let it go, Alfred," the Bat growled, stalking toward her as she just stared. "What's done is done. I trust, however, Kim," he called her, looking down at her with a grim, admittedly frightening façade, "You can be _discreet."_

"I….. You're….._him_," she squeaked, and felt herself blush as she knew she was babbling.

The Bat stepped closer, and gestured.

"Let's find out if you're ready."

She turned to eye a narrow passage she had not noticed before when she tracked his gesture.

"Ready," she frowned.

"Exactly," he nodded, and led her down a short tunnel into a wider chamber that put his first to shame. As the gym she found in it put the upstairs facility to shame. In fact, she was pretty sure that even Global Justice's athletic training center paled next to the setup before her.

"Even GJ doesn't have a training room this good," she murmured appreciatively.

"Really," Bruce said as the cape and cowl slid away to reveal he really was behind the mask.

"Really. I always thought Dr. Director had the best, but…."

Bruce didn't even smile.

"I've read about you, Kim," he said as he stepped forward, walking onto the main floor near the first apparatus. "And while you're here, since you've obviously learned a few of my secrets, let's find out if we can….help each other."

"How could I help you," she asked with a frown as she nevertheless stepped forward, guessing what was coming well enough.

Bruce's expression turned as grim as she had ever seen it, and nodded.

"I know that by now you've discerned your family did not have an accident. They were murdered."

Kim said nothing at first. Then she had to ask the one thing still uppermost on her mind.

"Is my mom really safe?"

"Yes. The facility I sent her to is so exclusive, and well-guarded, the President _wishes_ he could use it."

"I just want her to get better."

"And I have hired the best to try to help her. Give them time," Bruce said, and took a martial stance she knew well.

"So, back to the help sitch?"

"I could use you….on the streets. First, however, I need to assess your true skills. Come at me, and hold nothing back."

"One question first," Kim asked.

Bruce simply nodded.

"Well, two, but….. Most important, do you know who attacked my family," she more demanded than asked.

"I've a few leads. Ironically, a case I'm working on seems to connected to a certain group that may have been involved."

"Then, I'm in," she stated, and stepped forward, but took no stance.

"Then, prepare yourself," he growled.

She smiled a little arrogantly, borrowing a smirk she knew well from a certain woman, and drawled, "I am. Bring it."

The apparent hero's eyes narrowed, and he moved.

As she guessed, the stance was a feint, and she flowed around the real attack that surged, faltered, and then tried to surprise her as she spun around, ducking, blocking, and then sweeping the man's longer limbs.

To her surprise, he simply leapt straight up, somersaulted over her, and came down to try to take her from behind.

She found herself laughing, and tumbled not away, but towards him, closing in as she used a combination kick, and began to fight in earnest.

Thirty minutes later, both of them stood facing one another, panting slightly, and sweating from the exertion.

"You fight as well as Shego."

"Really? I've heard of her. Never had to face her. You, Kim," he said grudgingly, "Are far more skilled than I realized. Or are apparently given credit for, I wager."

"I would say, no big, but…..thanks for the complement."

"Your unorthodox style aside, you are very skilled. Still, I counted five blatant weaknesses an opponent could use to incapacitate, or kill you."

"Only five? Then I am getting better. The first time I fought her, Shego told me I had dozens."

"I get the feeling you and your rival have an…..interesting relationship."

"We fight. But sometimes we're friends. Or, we are sometimes. She just won't go straight, even though she could."

"I know the type," Bruce grumbled.

"So, what about the group that attacked my family," she demanded.

Bruce eyed her, and turned back the way they had come, scooping up his cowl as he did.

"What I'm about to reveal can never be revealed to anyone. Not even your tech-friend," he shot over his shoulder. "Lives depend on your discretion. Not just mine, either."

Kim nodded.

"I know all about secrecy, Bruce," she daringly called him now. "I am a provisional agent for Global Justice."

"At sixteen?"

"Seventeen," she put out. "Well, seventeen tomorrow," she sighed.

"Sixteen," Bruce nodded curtly.

"For now," Kim sniffed.

Bruce only smirked himself now.

"If you are going out with me, you cannot go as you are. That white is too visible. Too obvious. Also, I would have thought you would have learned the value of an alter ego by now. Even…."

He trailed off, seeing Alfred, unflappable as ever, bringing a second tray down even as they returned to the main cave.

"I took the liberty of bringing you extra refreshments, sir," he drawled. "If Miss Possible is going to prove as…..willful as you, I suspected you would be needing them."

"Wow, and I thought Shego could be sarcastic," Kim murmured.

"I was unaware I was being so, Miss," he drawled, not even pretending to smile.

"Alfred is very British, Kim," Bruce said with the faintest of smiles.

"Indeed, sir," he replied. "If that is all, I suspect I have a bath, and bedroom to repair again, since your guest is obviously here, rather than in her room."

Kim blushed now.

"I've….never been big with domestic sitches," she allowed with a sigh.

"Neither have I," Bruce informed her. "Now, let's get to work. First, you need a new look. Something to divert anyone from guessing who you are."

"I don't know about….."

He tapped several keys, and a new tube began to rise out of the farthest corner of the cavern near the other costumes. This one was similar, and yet still different. She stared at the lit tube where a mannequin was wearing a pair of tight leather pants, and a halter with a short cape. The head was covered by only a domino mask, and she noted there was no crest. No sigil, like Bruce's bat.

"Who….wore that?"

"Did you ever hear of the Silk Spectre," he asked.

"Yeah. She was some kind of vigilante back…"

"She was your grandmother. This, however, was her daughter's costume. She called herself Silk Shadow. It was your _mother's_ costume. Until she quit."

"Mom…..? _My_ mom?"

Bruce simply nodded.

Kim found she had absolutely nothing to say just then.

_To Be Continued…._


	5. Chapter 5

_I do not own the characters named herein from either Disney, or D.C., and am only using them for a tale meant for entertainment purposes only._

**Kim Possible: Sacrifices**

**By LJ58**

**5**

"I've been thinking, Wade," Kim told her friend the next morning. "I might need to be invisible, even when I'm not cloaked. Any way to darken my battle suit so it's not so…..bright?"

Wade frowned.

"You don't like the color?"

"It's white, Wade. Nice, but…..easy to see coming a mile off."

"That's true. I should have thought of that. Give me a few. I may be able to upgrade the cloak system to shift the visual spectrum of the suit's nano-fibers."

"Good. The darker the better," she told him.

"Are you planning something, Kim," the young genius asked her with concern.

"Let's just say that whoever is out there doesn't need to see me coming, if we do get a lead on them," she stated blandly.

"Okay. Okay, I can see that. What about the cavern? Did you get a chance to investigate?"

"Yeah, and I wish I hadn't," Kim grimaced now.

"What was…..?"

"Wade, you don't want to know. This guy takes his playboy image seriously. He has a whole underground _playground_, and let's just say, I'm still trying _not_ to think about what I saw down there," she said with a faint blush.

"So, pretty kinky, huh?"

"Well, I'm pretty sure he could give most perverts some serious competition. Nothing illegal, though, or I would not still be here. I guess he just takes his private life very seriously."

"I can see that. Imagine the scandal if something like that got out."

"Exactly, so don't let it. Wayne-Tech does do a lot of good, so let's not his…..weird eccentricities ruin his company's reputation."

"Right. I'll get to work on the upgrades, and call you when I can."

"Thanks. By the way, any word from GJ?"

"They're being really quiet, Kim. Too quiet, if you know what I mean?"

"Nothing from the usual villains?"

"Strangely enough, they're being just as quiet. Although several have been seen trying to break into your house. The local law took care of them, though. It seems Officer Hobble was serious about watching your house."

"Tell him I appreciate it."

"I will."

"Later, Wade. I have a whole weekend off, and I want to try to relax for a change," she sighed.

"That's probably a good idea. I know you've been going through a lot lately. Your friends haven't forgotten you, though. So hang in there."

"I will. Bye, Wade."

She switched off the device, and set it aside.

The new Kimmunicator on her wrist had yet to be turned on this morning, and she felt like keeping it low-key just in case. It looked like an ordinary digital watch, and for now, that was just what she wanted even Bruce to think. Even he didn't realize that it was the source of her new, nannites-driven battle-suit that Wade had finally perfected. When he suggested if she was going to actually go out with him, she needed a better, read darker, suit, she told him she'd handle it herself.

She just needed a mask, because no way was she using that fetish mask, even if it did once belong to her…..

She shook her head.

Her mother.

A vigilante.

A mean one, from the files she had seen. Until she abruptly quit. And vanished.

"She decided to try another path," Bruce had told her. "Especially after meeting a man."

Kim was still absorbing that one.

Having dealt with Wade, though, she now went to the gym to work out since her homework was done, and the only other assignment was a project laughingly called a term paper.

She only had to write one page about what she felt made her feel good in the course of her daily life. Mr. Barkin would have been horrified by such an assignment. He would have then shredded any teacher that dared give such 'namby-pamby' work to monsters who deserved the full weight, and authority of his educational system.

Strange, how she could find herself missing even him.

**KP**

"Found her," Shego grinned as she looked at the computer console where she was running searches across the web, using any clue she could find, as well as some old contacts.

"Found who," an obviously distracted Drakken asked indifferently as he worked on something she had stolen for him that he was apparently still trying to 'perfect.'

"Possible. I knew she didn't go down that easy," she smirked, eyeing the photos on an online news agency, and sifted them for more information.

"Kim….Possible," Drakken asked, looking up now, and looking a little disturbed.

"Don't worry. She's miles from here. Out in Gotham City trying out the nightlife, according to this story," Shego smirked. "Didn't know the little cheerleader could clean up so nicely," she added, eyeing the redhead in a very obvious designer original standing next to…..

"Who's he?"

"Our next mark," she grinned. "Check this out. Bruce Wayne. Billionaire, and Kimmie's cousin."

"She's rich?"

"_He_ is. Even better, he owns Wayne-Tech. That science fair for humanitarians you like to complain about. Imagine if we could hold _him_ hostage? Or….use him to finally get past their security, and get to the _good_ stuff," Shego suggested wryly.

"Why, Shego," Drakken smirked slyly. "That's downright diabolical of you. I'm quite proud," he actually sniffed.

"Stuff it. Remember, this will still be Kimmie out there. We'll have to be sneaky, or she might still get in the way."

"I think I have just the thing," Dr. Drakken smirked, and went to rummaging along his cluttered lab tables. "Now, where did I…? Ah, here it is," he grinned, and held up what appeared to be a small, silver ray gun.

"And what does that do?"

"Shrink ray? We slip up on them, shrink them down, and then not even a six inch Kim Possible can stop whatever we plan," the blue-skinned madman chortled.

"That might actually work. Give it to me."

"You? Why? I invented it. It's only right that….."

"Give," Shego swore, and reached for the device. "Or do you think _you_ could actually sneak up on Kimmie by yourself."

"Now, Shego….."

"Give it," she growled, and after a brief struggle, the device fell, and shattered between them.

Shego scowled.

"Well," Drakken sighed. "I suppose I could figure out a Plan B."

"So can I, you blue idiot," Shego growled, and raised a glowing fist.

His howl echoed for quite some time.

**KP**

"I don't see why I had to go out like….this," she grimaced, staring at the dress that was, admittedly, quite nice. Only she didn't like the club. The press. Or the mindless fawning over them.

Or the press, she mentally added again.

"One," Bruce told her. "We have to keep the press diverted. You keep 'hiding out,' as it were, and people are going to ask questions. Or speculate. The last thing we need is some socially conscious idiot coming out to investigate what they think might be a suspicious arrangement here."

"Yeah," Kim sighed, wanting only to be out of the heels, and back into some comfortable clothes just then.

"Two, we set the stage so that everyone knows you are here, safe, but still mourning your family. They'll now know, and understand if you aren't seen anywhere else anytime soon."

"Okay, that makes sense."

"Three."

Kim waited when he fell silent, and then cocked his head.

"Bruce?"

"Master Bruce," Alfred said dryly as he walked into the house just then, bracketed by two, burly Henches. "We seem to have uninvited guests."

"Shego," Kim hissed, seeing the green-skinned woman behind the faithful manservant. "What are you doing here?"

"We don't even want you, Princess," the woman smirked as she shoved past the three men to face Bruce. "Just the pretty-boy here. So, why don't you cooperate, and no one has to…"

Shego yelped as Kim's kick, augmented by the annoying high heel, slammed into her, bowling the green and black-clad woman forward to slam into a wall.

"Run," she shouted at Bruce, and quickly stripped her shoes off even as she simultaneously ripped one side of the dress to move more freely as she turned on the Henches. "Get to…..your panic room," she adlibbed, and drove an elbow at the nearest Hench holding Alfred.

The old man surprised her by spinning in place, and driving an elbow of his own into the other man's throat, dropping him where he stood.

"Go," she shouted at Alfred. "I've got her," she growled, turning to glare at Shego as she kicked off the heels now, even as Shego rose back to her feet, and smiled coolly.

"And here I thought the past few weeks might have made you soft," Shego grinned as she turned to face her.

"You should know better," Kim growled, fists raised, and ready to fight as she noticed Alfred had wisely fled, leaving Shego to her.

"I can't believe grabbing a pampered playboy could be so much trouble," Shego grumbled, looking past Kim into the still dark house. "I don't suppose you're just going to step aside….?"

"Not going to happen. Distant, or not, he's still family. You have to go through me."

"You mean, the way someone went through your other _family,"_ Shego sniggered.

Kim literally saw red, and she gave a howl of rage as she leapt at the green-skinned woman, driving her back, and knocking her into the still open door, slamming it half shut on one arm. Kim grabbed her dark head, and just started slamming Shego's head into the door frame.

"Don't…..talk about….my family," she seethed, her free hand pounding at Shego's midsection, even as she kept hammering her skull.

"Enough," a voice growled, and a gloved hand rose to drop over Kim's fist tangled in the nearly unconscious woman's hair.

She stared back up the caped hero, and hissed as she stepped back, watching Shego slump to the floor, eyes fluttering, even as Batman simply stood over her, watching for a feint.

"I take it you two have issues?"

"You have no idea," Kim said quietly, standing there with tightly clenched fists as she eyed the now unconscious woman.

"From what I've heard, she is hard to beat," he said, though his tone hid anything akin to respect.

"I caught her off-guard this time. She….touched a nerve," Kim admitted.

"I can guess. I'm taking her to the cave," he told her, reaching to cuff the men first before he cuffed Shego.

"That's a bad idea," she told him. "Trust me, she is virtually, if not literally impossible to hold. If she stays in jail, it's because she wants to, for whatever the reasoning in her head. If she got loose down there?"

"I think we can manage. Alfred will wait on the law to take these two in. We'll deliver the woman after I've questioned her."

"It is kind of weird that she should show up here of all places. Usually, Drakken has her hitting scientific warehouses, or labs."

The Bat lifted the green woman over one shoulder, and eyed Kim.

"You do realize that Wayne-Tech is on the forefront of some seriously cutting edge technology. We don't do weapons, but it doesn't take much imagination to pervert some of the things we do build. It's an issue I have with a lot of the board members."

"Still, you're taking a risk…."

"I'm sure I can hold her. I have….special gear not available to the public."

Kim sighed, and nodded.

"All right. I'd better change, too. We don't want her putting me together with…..you, and making the wrong conclusions."

"Smart. Go ahead. I have to set up a recording to fool the police when they arrive to find us gone."

**KP**

"….In other news, billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne has decided to take a foreign holiday with his new ward after felons attempted to break into his house, and abduct him for reasons unknown. "Marie Gleason caught up to Mr. Wayne's butler who had this to say."

The clip took half the screen as Ron stared at the stiff, dour man who simply said, "Master Wayne has taken this attack as a sign he's been working too hard. As Miss Possible is his charge for the moment, he has chosen to bring her with him this time, not wishing to leave her if those felons attempted to return in his absence."

"Mr. Pennyworth," the young woman reporter asked, "Is it true that Bruce Wayne ran off, leaving Kim Possible behind when the men attacked you?"

"I believe you'll find out it was Miss Possible who interfered, and gave Master Wayne time to reach his panic room, and call the authorities."

"And what were you doing, sir?"

"I believe I had quite passed out," Alfred Pennyworth said in a very dry tone. "I was quite mortified, of course. But one does not usually encounter such men in my usual duties."

"Of course. Of course. Do you know where Bruce and Kim are going?"

"I believe this is the portion of the interview where I've been instructed to say 'no comment," Alfred said. "Now, if you will excuse me," he said as he turned back toward the doors of the manor. "I have a mess yet to finish cleaning, and packing to finish."

"There you have it, Ben. Mr. Wayne remains a man of few words, and this time didn't even bother to say them."

Ron ignored the news after they went to another story.

He sat staring blankly for a moment, and then reached for his Kimmunicator.

"Wade, it's Ron."

"Yeah, I know. I'm guessing you just saw the same news I did?"

"Yeah," Ron frowned. "Wade, do we know who hit Wayne's house? Or if they were really after _him_?"

Wade blinked.

"You think someone is still after Kim?"

"They take out her family? Then risk attacking the richest guy in the nation, knowing he has to have more security than Fort Knox? Something's not right, Wade. Not at all."

"No. And I still haven't found a lead to whoever is behind this. I'm still looking, though."

"We need to look harder. Something feels way off here. Way off."

"I know, Ron. Even I can't find something every time. Someone is being way past careful on this one. It really worries me, because it looks more, and more like serious professionals."

Ron merely nodded.

"Keep me posted," he told his friend.

"You know I will."

_To Be Continued…._


	6. Chapter 6

_I do not own the characters named herein from either Disney, or D.C., and am only using them for a tale meant for entertainment purposes only._

**Kim Possible: Sacrifices**

**By LJ58**

**6**

Shego woke with a start, staring around her at the dimness beyond the bright light of the device passing over her.

"Hey, what is this," she growled, and tried to sit up.

Only she wasn't moving at all. Likely because she was held down by bands on her wrists, and ankles. As well as a larger band just above her waist.

Then the shadow moved near one side of the brightly lit table to which she was bound, and she stared incredulously at the man's cold eyes that looked down from that fierce visage.

"Whoa. I heard Gotham had it's own brand of freaks, but…..wow."

"You're in a lot of trouble, Miss Waters."

"Waters," she sputtered. "Mister, I don't know who you are, but my name is…."

"Sheridan Marie Waters. Second of five siblings. Orphaned by the comet that empowered you when it blew up your house, and killed your parents. Should I go on," the man that sounded like he gargling gravel asked curtly.

"Points for your homework," Shego huffed, "But your fashion sense really stinks."

Looking around, she tried to see where she was, and what was going on.

"Where's Kimmie?"

"If you mean Miss Possible, she left the city with Mr. Wayne. She was worried you might have been connected to the assassins stalking her."

"So, the rumors were true? Someone was really after her?"

"You're saying you're not one of them?"

"You kidding? I _like_ to play with my Princess. If I knew who hit her folks, I'd hit back. I don't like people that cross those lines," she growled. "Even I have standards," she huffed.

"Why did you attack Wayne's house?"

"Rich man? Duh?"

"Indeed. So, you just happen to pick a target where Miss Possible was being sheltered," the caped shadow growled.

"Listen, I've said all I'm saying. Either get me a lawyer, or…..let me go."

"I'll consider your requests, if I bother to allow you to leave," the grim man spat. "First, we're going to discuss a few more questions I have."

"Good luck with that. I don't plan on answering anything else. And if you share my name with anyone… We're going to have some trouble," Shego growled.

"I don't think you're in any position to make threats, Miss Waters."

_"Shego,"_ she growled.

"As you will," Batman drawled indifferently. "Now, let's start. What do you know about the attacks on Possible, and her family?"

"Nothing."

"You're lying."

"I'm not…. Okay, I only know what I've heard in the papers, and from the usual talking heads. Me, personally? Don't know a thing. Like I said, I don't take work personally. I sure don't target families. If I did, that psycho Cyclops in GJ would have known it a long time ago," she huffed.

"Indeed," the Bat murmured. "Let's try again. Have you heard anything through your contacts in the underground about any….special enmity for the Possibles?"

"You'd have to be more specific, tall, dark, and gloomy," she huffed, still trying unsuccessfully to generate even a degree of her comet-spawned might, or power. "Most of the community would like to see her served up well-done. None of them I know would bother to hire out, though. They like the up-close, and personal touch. You know what I mean?"

The Bat said nothing as he eyed her.

"I'm going to release you. You and I need to talk, so don't try to fight, or run. You wouldn't get far."

"Says you," she huffed even as she felt those bands pop up, and retract into the table.

She was on her feet in an instant, jumping to the far side of the table, and raised both hands, and frowned.

"Hey?"

"I've taken control of your autonomic nervous system. Until I allow it, you aren't any more powerful than an ordinary human being. If you want those powers back, you will listen, and cooperate."

"Or maybe I'll just skin you alive the old-fashioned way, and make you give," Shego spat, and moved even as she spoke, launching a kick at his chest that the bigger man somehow ducked, spun around, and drove a hard fist into her jaw.

Shego went sprawling, and landed in a ball, rolling back onto her feet.

"You've been trained, but you're sloppy. You learned to rely too much on your comet abilities, and lost your edge."

"Says you," Shego spat.

"Actually, an acquaintance of yours said the same thing."

"Acquaintance…..?"

"I have all of Global Justice's files. All of them. Miss Possible's reports on your skills, and abilities were quite concise."

Shego glowered.

"Okay, that's it. I could care less you have the fashion sense of a school kid. You are going down, mister," she growled, and leapt again.

This time, she lasted all of two minutes as she engaged in a furious bout of kicking and punching before he slammed an open palm into her chest, and sent her flying again.

"You're also predictable," the big man growled, not even breathing hard.

"No….way," Shego rasped, panting hard by then. "No one's that good. Except….Kimmie," she frowned, and eyed him. "And that _style_….."

The costumed man just stared.

"Where did you study," she demanded.

The man's thin lips didn't even quirk. He just stared.

"I get it," Shego grumbled. "You're one of al Ghul's lackies."

"I am no one's lackey, woman."

"But you studied with him, didn't you? Maybe old Ghully would like to know someone is borrowing his mojo for his own game?"

"You'd be hard-pressed to find him just now. He's still healing after the last time we met."

Shego did gape now.

"Are you claiming…..? You beat Ra's al Ghul?"

"It was more stalemate, than victory. But you cannot truly defeat an immortal."

"Whoa. Okay, so you're more than a fashion disaster," Shego grumbled, and looked down at her own hands. "And you know some freaky science. Okay, okay. So, what kind of negotiations are we looking at here?"

Now the big man's lips did smile. If only slightly. Still, it wasn't the warm and fuzzy kind of smile. It was more like a feral smirk just before a shark snatched you out of the water.

"There are no negotiations. You're going to help me bait a trap, and then you are going to help me spring it. You cross me, and you won't survive the attempt. That, is a promise."

"You have a lot to learn about negotiations," Shego grumbled. "So, what's the game," Shego asked, not adding that she already had the feeling she wasn't going to like it.

"I'm going to bait a trap. Just as I said. You will spring it. I have a few suspicions based on data I've gathered. You're going to either confirm, or help eliminate a few suspects. Then, we're going to find out who was really behind the Possible attacks, and why. Afterward, you can go."

"And my powers?"

"As a show of good faith, I'll restore them in five minutes. _After_ we finish the details. Understand, I can remove them just as easily any time I wish," the Bat added somberly. "So don't even try to run. Or cross me. You wouldn't be the first to try. You wouldn't be the first to fail."

Shego swallowed, wondering who this guy was, and where he learned to play hardball. Because she was pretty sure if he was any kind of major player, she would have heard of him by now. Wouldn't she? Still, for now, she had to play along.

"All right, come out," the man ordered as he kept his eyes on Shego.

The slender, masked woman walked out of the darkness.

She was willowy, toned, and looked ready to tear her face off judging from the slight claws on the end of her gloves. Unlike the bat, not one part of her showed. Her entire face was covered, and her eyes were hidden behind some kind of eye filters in the mask she wore.

Still, the way she moved…..

"So, who is this?"

"Vixen," the Bat growled. "She's agreed to help."

The woman eyed her, and Shego had the unnerving feeling that the woman was measuring her for a casket. Even without seeing her eyes, or her expression, something about that posture, the attitude she was getting from her. It all screamed bad news.

And her instincts had never been wrong.

"So, how does your junior squad help me," she grumbled.

"Vixen is also a master of camouflage. She's going to mask herself as Possible, and then you are going to feign capturing her, and drag her to the head of your community. _Jack Hench_, I believe?"

Shego stared at that.

"You know about Jack?"

"The only reason I haven't put him down, yet, is because he knows to stay out of my city," the Bat growled. "Until _you_ broke the truce."

"Snap," Shego grimaced.

If Jack really did have some kind of hands-off policy going with this guy, then he wouldn't like his business model upset by her trying to grab Wayne right out of the no-man's land he had never told her about. Still, if Jack were involved…..

"Okay, I can do that. If Jack is involved, then truce, or not, he'll be salivating if I did drag Kimmie in, and drop her at his feet. Or, at least, a convincing proxy," she added, eyeing the slender enigma. "She does look about the same size, and build. But can she really…..?"

"She can take care of herself," the man told her curtly. "Now, let's go over the plan."

"I was more worried about how she's going to make herself pass as my Kimmie."

"Your….Kimmie," the Bat murmured.

The female snorted. Just that.

"Look, it's complicated. I…. We….. That is, I think she…. Well, I respect her. We fight. I think she respects me. It's just part of the freaking _job,_ okay," she spat. "So, how about the damn….."

The man made a show of pressing something on his belt.

In the very same instant, Shego's hands were wreathed in green fires that did not burn her.

She smiled, and eyed him.

"Don't even think it," he told her. "I can still turn it off, if I choose."

She scowled.

"How," she demanded.

"We all have our secrets, Shego," he called her now. "However, you do this, and adhere to our plan, and you have my word the secret stays with me. No one else will ever know it. Enemy, or ally."

"I'm supposed to trust you?"

"Can I trust you," he countered.

"Touché," she muttered. "So, what now?"

"Now, we plan. Ready to listen?"

"Fine. But if Miss Attitude there gets in over her head, that's not on me," she shot.

The Bat merely stared.

"You simply have to stick to the plan. No deviations. Everything else will be our show."

"Fine," Shego muttered. "Just don't blame me when it goes south."

"I'm not your employer," the man said so coldly Shego swore the temperature in the big cave had just dropped to below zero.

"Ouch," was the only thing she could think to mutter.

**KP**

"Ron?"

"Yeah, Wade," Ron yawned. "What's up now?"

"I thought you'd want to know. Word is, Wayne took off for the tropics. Or the Alps. Depending on the rumor you want to follow."

"But?"

"Ron, I checked everywhere. No sign of him, or Kim, anywhere. And I mean, anywhere. It's like they both vanished."

Ron frowned at that.

"Something is off here."

"Ron, I think Kim is holding out on both of us now."

"Us? But….why?"

"I don't know. Maybe because most of her family was just killed, and she blames herself," Wade reminded him.

"Oh, yeah."

"There's more. I think she knows more than we do. Earlier this week, she asked me to alter her new battle-suit. I wasn't sure why, but the more I think about it, I get the feeling she's about to do something."

Ron frowned as he eyed the young man on the screen of his Kimmunicator.

"Yeah, that is something like she would do. You're sure you can't track her? What about her car?"

"It hasn't moved since she went back to Gotham. Which is weird in itself."

"Yeah. She takes that thing everywhere since the boys….."

"Ron?"

"How did she alter her battle-suit, Wade," Ron asked.

"She had me make it dark, with a full face mask."

"Hiding in plain sight," Ron murmured.

"Huh?"

"Think about it. All the big Capes hide their faces so no one knows who they are. Maybe Kim is about to take things to the next level, and doesn't want anyone connecting her to…..anyone else?"

Wade said nothing to that.

"There's more, Ron," Wade sighed.

"Oh. So, what else? I mean, what else could there be, since, you know, you did say you couldn't find them."

"No, I can't. What I did find, however, is puzzling."

"Okay, that makes no sense at all. What now?"

"Kim was kind of suspicious of Mr. Wayne at first."

"Well, duh. Mystery cousin comes out of nowhere….."

"Ron. Focus. We found a big cave under his house, and he tried to keep her out from the start."

"Well, yeah. Big caves would be…..scary. You know, shadowy, and buggy, and….stuff."

Wade almost forget who he was talking to at times. Sometimes Ron could seem very mature, and professional. Then, at other times, he was still the same boy he had been for years.

"Ron, the point is, she told me she had investigated, and found…..nothing. Told me not to bother to check."

"And, let me guess," Ron said with a smirk. "You checked anyway?"

"Kim still doesn't lie too well about some things," Ron was reminded.

"Oh, yeah. She is the up-front, and in your face type. Hard to be a real secret kind of spy if you can't lie. Maybe that's why Dr. Director….."

"Ron," Wade sighed.

"Oh. Oh, right. What did you not find?"

Wade resisted the urge to bang his head against something.

"Let's just say that whatever is down there, it's not what Kim suggested. I ran into a firewall that NASA probably wishes they had. I can't break into whatever is securing that site in spite of days of trying. I need someone to go there, and actually check things out."

"Yeah, that makes sense….. Wait," Ron frowned. "Me? You want me to go on a mission for you? Without Kim? And why not just call Kim? She might have missed something. You know how she is at times. She might have been distracted, or….."

"Ron. Kim told me she was in the cave. That she checked everything. Suddenly, she goes from super-suspicious, to writing off all our concerns. And I knew she was hiding something. I check, and can't even get to the house's security? Something is up, Ron. Something big, and if Kim is involved, I'm afraid even she might be in over her head. You need to go check on her. And get into that cave."

"Fine," Ron finally sighed. "I suppose I have a ride?"

"I arranged for you to borrow Sadie again. With the understanding you don't stop at any drive-thrus, or touch anything," Wade stressed as he told him the arrangements. "Just, be careful. We know someone is already watching the place, and now this whole mystery thing with Kim? Something is up, Ron, and I'm really worried. Kim never goes this long without checking in. We need to find out what is going on out there. You have ten minutes before your ride is there, so get moving."

"No big. The Ron-Man is on the case," Ron declared, and stood up, and promptly tripped over his dangling sheet to land on his face.

"God help us," Wade sighed as she closed the channel.

_To Be Continued….._


	7. Chapter 7

_I do not own the characters named herein from either Disney, or D.C., and am only using them for a tale meant for entertainment purposes only._

**Kim Possible: Sacrifices**

**By LJ58**

**7**

"Whoa. You really do look like Kimmie," Shego remarked as the redhead came out of the shadows after going to change.

The redhead only stared coolly at her.

"Just tell me you know the plan," Kim drawled in a low tone.

"Whoa. You even sound like her."

"Voice control, and a modulating synchronizer," she said, tapping a button at her throat that adorned the blouse she was now wearing.

"Okay. Getting creepy now," Shego grimaced. "And I got the plan. Your big brother drilled me for over an hour. All I have to do is show up at the right spot, fake a convincing fight, and drag you in to Jack's office."

"Grossly oversimplified, but essentially correct," the 'big brother' drawled as he came out of the back, too. "Now, you're going to have to be blindfolded until I take you back. You don't need to know where you've been."

"I'm guessing trust isn't an issue with you guys, is it," Shego smiled blandly.

"We could just drop you off a platform," Kim suggested, pointedly glancing toward a nearby chasm that looked very deep. "And find our way into Hench's operation."

"I'll pass. Not fond of falling into dark holes myself."

"Then hold still," the Bat said, and pulled a hood over her head.

Even as she opened her mouth to say something, she smelled something bitter, and her head went spinning.

The Bat caught her just before she passed out cold at his feet.

"That was close," Kim said. "Do you really think this ploy will work, though?"

"It should. It's simple, direct, and should tell us one way, or the other, if Hench is really involved. If so, we act accordingly. We want evidence. And prisoners. Not bodies. So try to contain yourself when you have to act."

"I've never killed," Kim sputtered.

"Still, it's been close at times. We both know that," he told her. "As I said. You're more skilled than you realize. How many times have you almost killed some of your foes?"

Kim said nothing to that.

"I do understand the urge," he told her as he carried Shego to the Batmobile. "But when we cross that line, then we become no better than those we fight. Remember that," he told her.

"You don't have to tell me that," Kim shot. "And almost doesn't count with some of the freaks I fight. You could have really dropped _her_ in that chasm, and she would have just climbed out, and started fighting all over again."

"Her comet-powers do make her dangerous. Her skills, however, are rusty, and not quite as good as yours."

"I noticed. Could you really turn her powers off again?"

"No. I bluffed. My special toxin could dampen her control over them for up to twenty minutes, but I had to make her believe I was in control. Frankly, considering her immune system, I doubt the same toxin would work again. I'll have to consider something else if we ever meet again."

"If?"

"Do you really think she would come back without knowing for sure if I could turn off her powers at will?"

Kim nodded.

"I see your point."

"Sometimes, Kim, to beat a monster, you have to think like one. I've had a lot of practice getting into some of the worst ones' heads. Not a place you want to be, but sometimes, you have no other choice."

"Okay. I'll head out, and get to the diner first. I want everyone seeing me, and knowing I was there long before she….shows up."

"Right. Remember, make it look good. If Jack, or anyone else is watching, we want them convinced."

"I've been doing this a while myself," Kim huffed.

"Just remember. Today, you're not Kim Possible. You're someone pretending to be her. Don't slip up, or your green friend may yet cross us both."

"I want the one behind this myself," Kim told him as she turned for the stairs back up to the manor as he settled Shego inside his rocket-car. "So, don't worry about me."

"I'll be letting her go near the target rendezvous in…..twenty minutes."

"I'll be there in five," Kim told him.

The Bat merely nodded, and jumped into the car.

**KP**

"Any word yet," Ron asked as he pulled up next to a gate that was very high, and very intimidating.

"Nothing. Kim's staying off the grid lately. I can't get her to answer my pages," Wade admitted. "Which isn't like her."

"No. Speaking of issues. I'm standing in front of a very wicked-looking gate," he said, wishing that car that had driven him here had waited a few minutes. Just to be sure.

"It's not electrified," Wade assured him. "But I'm detecting motion sensors on the ground, and cameras along the main drive."

"So, stay off the grounds, and the driveway," Ron sighed. "You know, this is sounding a bit….villainish."

"Rich people take their security seriously, too, Ron," Wade reminded him.

"I just hope he's not like Senor Senior, Sr.," Ron grumbled.

"If he is, and you meet him, don't give him any advice," Wade quipped.

"Ha, ha," Ron grumbled all the more, and walked along the wall, looking for a likely way in that didn't have him on the security cameras.

Even as he turned around, looking around the wall, he saw a flash of dark purple as a small car sped past, and he frowned as he eyed the driver in that very familiar vehicle.

"Wade, you still there?"

"Still here," he said.

"You said Kim was off with this Wayne guy, right? Hiding in plain sight, or something?"

"That's what everyone is saying," the young genius told him.

"Then why did I just see her drive past me, in her car, headed for town?"

"You….saw her?"

"I know what she looks like, Wade," he shot back. "Her car, too."

"I don't know what to say, Ron. Something strange is going on. See what you can find, and I'll keep trying to raise her."

"Right. I think I just found my way in," he said, eyeing the tall tree that grew on the other side of the wall, and had several thick branches that stretched out over that wall. They were low enough that he didn't even need his grapple.

Jumping up to scale the wall, he then leapt up to reach the nearest branch, and climbed up higher into the tree. From there, it was easy to reach the next tree with his grapple. Then the next. He then reached a balcony, and then used his communicator to find, and blind the cameras around the area as he picked the lock, and went into what must be an unused bedroom.

He found only one indication of someone at home, and they were on the ground floor, on the far side of the house. The East Wing, if he was reading Wade's blueprints right. From what he had learned from Wade with his talks before Kim went all secret on him, he needed the West Wing.

He moved carefully, conscious of any other security, and was surprised when he found several motion sensors, listening devices, and even cameras inside the house.

Fortunately, all those months of ninja training were paying off for once, and he managed to get to the ground floor, and into the West Wing, without issue.

Fifteen minutes of fumbling around had him falling almost headlong down a dark shaft, and he just managed to spare himself a nasty landing when he found, and grabbed a nearly invisible post that was apparently the guide for some kind of pneumatic lift. Only the lift was not at the top, naturally.

He finally stepped out of the shaft, and walked down a short path toward a faint light, and walked out into a huge cavern.

Ron could only gape.

"Man, the Fearless Ferret wishes his cave were this cool," he told Wade when he called him.

Wade, assessing the video from Ron's communicator, had nothing to say as he studied the scans around him.

"Ron, don't move," Wade told him as he checked out Ron's immediate area. "You are surrounded by dozens of fail-safes, traps, and security alarms. You move a single step just now, and you'll be setting off….something," the teen was warned. "I'm just surprised you made it that far."

"Hey, the Ron-Man gots mad skills. And madder luck. So, what now? Because this don't look like any playboy's fun-house I've ever read about. Er, not that I've read about them, it's just I….. Well, you know?"

"Calm down, Ron. Just keep holding out your communicator, and let me finish scanning the electronics around you. I should be able to….."

"Or not," Ron cringed as a pulsing alarm suddenly went off, and the images on the nearby computer faded to be replaced by a huge, batlike symbol.

"Bat? Bats? Oh, man, Wade. I think I know who owns this lair," Ron cringed as he eyed the dark cavern, and the unlikely equipment all around him.

"Indeed," a dry, dour voice remarked. "I believe you would be Mr. Stoppable," the thin, lanky man in butler's livery asked.

"Busted," he and Wade both said even as the communicator was suddenly shut down, and the screen went dark.

Ron only then noticed the device in the butler's hand.

"Uh, I come in peace?"

"Actually, Miss Possible warned me about you, and your….associate. "I trust we have your utmost discretion until the master can explain things?"

"Uh, sure," Ron half asked, half said.

"Then, I suggest you come back upstairs until his return. Unless you favor blundering into something you likely could not handle," the man remarked pointedly.

"Uh, no thanks. I mean, yeah, upstairs. No thanks on the blundering. Of course, Kim thinks I still do, but I favor not. Blundering, that is," Ron babbled.

"Yes. I see Miss Possible was quite accurate in her description of you, too. Upstairs, if you please," he said, after walking over to press something on the computer.

"So, am I right in thinking…..?"

"I suggest you not even think whatever you are thinking until the master speaks with you. He can be quite….quarrelsome when the wrong callers come visiting unannounced."

"I'll bet!"

Alfred only sighed as he led Ron back upstairs.

"I gotta say, this beats falling down a dark hole. I didn't see the stairs, though. Where did you hide the….? Oh," he said, noting he had turned right, not left.

Alfred said nothing as he led Ron into the parlor, and suggested he wait. Without touching anything.

**KP**

Kim sat on the side of the café where she could see the door, and anyone coming in. She was sipping from a cup of mocha cappuccino, but making sure she watched everyone around her. After all, while she was expecting Shego, someone else was obviously still hunting her.

Somehow, Shego's impulsive attack just didn't seem that coincidental to her.

Someone had to have tipped her.

Someone.

Maybe they expected to flush her out, and then they'd be able to strike at her again.

If so, they miscalculated. Because Kim Possible did not run.

Ever.

She felt a surge of grief again when she thought of her family, of her mother's uncertain future, and then considered again what was really at stake.

Even GJ had never been able to actually pin anything on Jack Hench.

Everyone knew he recruited, trained, and provided Henches for various organizations, and madmen. They knew he was deep into criminal, and obviously illicit research that could, and likely would doom the world ten times over if someone didn't stop him, or his clients. Yet no one could get anything to stick to him.

No one.

She recalled the smug, arrogant man with the slick, casual demeanor of a born salesman she had once met, and scowled bleakly around her.

"Is that her," she heard someone whisper nearby, and turned to see two older teens all but leering at her.

"Can't be," the second murmured, not even trying to look away. "Why would someone like her be slumming down here in Gotham?"

"Stupe," his companion slapped him in the back of the head. "Didn't you see Gotham Variety Friday? She's all over the news with Bruce Wayne lately. I thought they went off on some vacation, though. Guess she decided to stay."

"Yeah, but Kim Possible, and Mr. Wayne? I don't see it. Besides, that can't be her. She's too pretty. And….girlish," the other said. "Even in the dyke-wear, there's no way that girl could…"

Kim somersaulted backward even as her table exploded, and sent her cappuccino flying to spill everywhere, just missing her…..

She scowled only for a second at the two stunned boys as Shego landed in the middle of her ruined table.

_Dyke-wear_?

Seriously?

Then she focused back on the green-skinned woman standing there, hands glowing, and wearing a very familiar smirk.

"What's wrong, Kimmie," Shego sneered. "You don't call. You don't write. Now I find you in this dump nursing bad coffee….."

"Shego," she hissed.

"No….way," one of the boys hissed.

"Everyone get out of here," Kim shouted even as she lunged, strategically putting herself between Shego, and the crowd.

Just in case.

"Now," she shouted, deftly blocking a sudden plasma-encased punch, even as she swept the older woman's legs, not too surprised when Shego jumped up, somersaulted over her, and tried for a side kick on the way down.

Kim twisted one way, jumped back again, and was back to trading punches and kicks as if nothing had changed in spite of the time that had passed since she had last foiled one of Drakken's goofy plots. She saw most of the crowd had fled by then, and the sounds of sirens were filling the air, and Shego still only grinned.

Outside, she saw a flash of red, and realized there were Henches bullying through the crowd, shoving them back as they formed a perimeter around the café.

"More cannon fodder, Shego," Kim growled. "Getting too slow to handle your own fights?"

"I'll show you slow, Princess," Shego grinned, winked, and actually sped up the the flurry of blows aimed her way.

When she ducked one punch, it put a fist-sized hole in the wall of the café's stone décor.

Kim grimaced, and hoped Shego was just playing to the audience, and not really trying to….

Then again, this was Shego.

She ducked, jumped onto a chair, and used it as impetus to drive a flying kick into the woman's side that sent her tumbling.

Shego growled in very real anger, and closed in to wrestle for a moment with her.

"Just remember…..who's supposed to…..win this time, Pumpkin," she hissed softly when they closed.

Kim smirked in her face.

"Gotta….make it look….good," she spat back, and almost caught Shego with a knee.

It was a blatant opening to anyone in the know.

Shego saw it coming a mile off, and grabbed the rising limb, and swung Kim around like a life-sized piñata. Kim yelped as she went flying, and slammed into the wall, barely keeping her head tucked enough to keep from bouncing her skull off that very real stone façade that decorated the place.

Shego was on her in the same instant, slamming a chair into her belly, and driving the breath from her lungs. Before she could react, Shego drove a hard fist, minus the plasma this time, into the side of her skull, driving her into very real darkness.

"Hank," she growled at the nearest Hench. "What are these posers still doing here," she demanded as she dragged Kim out by her collar. "Jeez, can't you even clear a sidewalk?"

"Freeze," someone shouted from nearby.

Shego's plasma-ball had the foolhardy officer flying back to slam into the side of his own cruiser. She smirked, and then snapped the fingers of her free hand.

"Oh, right," she said smugly, and leaned over to pull Kim's Kimmunicator from her pocket.

She made a show of crushing it in a green-flaming hand, and tossed the pieces away.

"Wouldn't want the wrong people tracking us. Or _her_ trying to call anyone," she smirked, and dragged the unconscious redhead to a nearby hover-pod where she tossed her in the back with careless indifference.

"Coming," she demanded of the Henches as she jumped in, and fired up the engine. "Or you planning to stay, and play with the local wannbes?"

The Henches rushed to the flying saucer, and jumped in, one of them moving to carefully tie up the redhead as Shego engaged the drive, and lifted them into the air.

"Hank, you mess with my prize, and it won't be your fingers I break off," she told the burly man knowingly. "Understand?"

"She's all yours," the man said with a grimace. "Just making sure she don't have any more gizmos."

"Out on the town? I caught her by surprise this time," Shego laughed. "She never even saw me coming," she declared, daring anyone to argue. "And no buffoon to interfere for a change."

"So, what are you going to do with her?," Hank asked after he finished patting down the redhead after he had tied her hands and feet.

Shego smirked.

"What do you think? Someone thinks Kimmie is worth hiring some amateur mercs to take out. That means, someone should be willing to pay me for doing what the pretty boys couldn't. Jack should know who they are, and then…..I'm getting _rich_ for finally beating this annoying cheerleading," she smirked smugly.

The Henches never said a word as she crowed.

No one ever saw the sleek, black craft far over their own heads, following them with stealth from the clouds. If they had looked up, they might have thought the aircraft looked eerily like a giant bat.

_To Be Continued…_


	8. Chapter 8

_I do not own the characters named herein from either Disney, or D.C., and am only using them for a tale meant for entertainment purposes only._

**Kim Possible: Sacrifices**

**By LJ58**

**8**

"….you think I did this for fun? Or for _free,"_ Kim heard Shego's angry voice arguing as she slowly came around with a throbbing skull.

"Shego, I'm just saying, the guys involved are…..seriously nuts. So nuts, that you don't want to go there," Jack plaintive voice said. "At all."

"You're saying there is someone out there that you're worried about more than moi," Shego demanded, standing over Kim, who lay on the floor before a familiar desk she had seen once before.

Check. She was definitely in Hench's office.

With her hands bound behind her, someone might think that she was seemingly helpless laying there.

Only, however, if someone didn't know her too well.

She moved her hands closer together in spite of her bonds, popped the stone on her class ring on her finger open, and easily burned away the cords tying her hands. She then deftly pulled out a small listening device given her by the Bat, and stuck it under the frame of Jack's desk. Then, she slowly pulled her legs up, and when she could reach, burned away the knots on the cords holding her ankles tied together.

Then she lay perfectly still again, knowing from just that little bit she had just overheard, that Jack definitely knew something. She definitely wanted to hear what else he might have to say before she made a move.

"Look, if they're willing to pay for a hit on the whole family, he should be willing to pay me for taking out….."

"You didn't take her out. You _captured_ her," Jack pointed out. "And, honestly, how hard is that? Even _Drakken_ manages it at….times….."

"Watch it, Hench," Shego growled. "I didn't go after her for fun. I expect to be paid. Well paid. With Drakken off contemplating his next lamest plan ever, I had some free time. So, spill, or maybe I'll start thinking you're trying to edge me out of a sweet deal here?"

"Are you nuts? After that hit on the Possibles, every major law enforcement agency in the nation, hell, maybe the world, is looking closer than ever at everyone in the community. And I mean _everyone._ No one wants anything to do with her just now. She's toxic! The risks are too….."

"Someone does. Who? I'll just go visit them myself," Shego informed him.

"You won't like it."

"Who," Shego thundered. "You're messing with my retirement fund here," she complained.

Jack drew a deep breath.

"I know how you are, Shego. I know. So, I'm going to do you a favor. I'm not going to tell you. Just leave her here, and I'll get her back where she belongs…."

"No way. No how. I caught her. She's _my_ prize….."

"And you hit the wrong town in the entire world to claim it," Jack complained. "You do not want to know how big a target you likely just painted on yourself. On _us,"_ he added.

"Do I look like I care," Shego sneered.

"That's because you haven't met….."

"Met who," Shego continued to sneer.

"Sounds like my cue," a low, gravely voice drawled just as a dark figure crashed in through the nearby window.

Backlit by the sun, Shego turned to gape as the man dressed like a flying rat seemingly look to actually be flying as he came through that glass. Considering they were forty stories up, that was some entrance. Even though she had already technically met him, she was still impressed.

"Whoa," she muttered, gaping at the man who landed on his feet, just a few feet from Jack.

"You definitely picked the wrong town this time," the costumed figure growled at her, then eyed Jack. "And I'm assuming you _chose_ to break our….truce," he demanded.

Jack's hands were up in an instant.

"No, no, no, no," he babbled. "I was just trying to tell Shego…. Well, you don't know how stubborn…. I mean, she….."

Both of them were glaring at him as Jack suddenly realized the redhead was standing up in front of him, too.

Free.

And both hands were clenched in fists.

"You were going to _sell_ me," Kim spat at her. Just before she backhanded Shego so hard she went down, bouncing her head off a file cabinet, and landing on the floor out cold.

"Ready to go home, Miss Possible," the Bat asked grimly as Jack sat there, looking pale, and very far from smug, or arrogant just then.

"Not just yet. I heard enough to know this…..lowlife _knows_ who put the hit on my family."

"Just you," Jack wailed as both of them turned to bracket him. "Just _you._ Someone got carried away. I swear, they weren't supposed to….."

"A name," Kim spat. "Or prison will be the least of your worries," she promised.

"I think I can guarantee that," the Bat growled. "Two attacks in _my_ city. By _your_ people. That's two strikes, Hench. Two too many."

"Wait! I….. We can deal. Surely, we can deal? I swear, I didn't know what that crazed woman was up to out there. I swear."

"I'm not hearing anything that interests me," the grim hero told him.

"Or me," Kim said, smashing a hand down on his when he started to inch his right hand close to a intercom switch.

Jack jumped back, knocking his chair over as he did, staring.

"Do you think I'm stupid? Names. Or I might just toss you out the window. And, darn it, I _lost_ my grapple, too," she said curtly.

Jack's eyes rounded.

Because the look in that redhead's eyes said she was serious just then.

He didn't know which of them was worse just then, because he already knew the Bat could get to him anywhere. Literally, anywhere.

Only here was a teen adventurer who had just lost her family to a grudge. Who knew what she might do?

"Okay. Okay. I give you the name, and…..the truce is still on," he asked the Bat. "Right? Right? I swear, I'll make sure _everyone_ in my organization knows to stay out of the Gotham from hereon. I swear."

"Even Shego," Kim spat.

"I…. Well, you know her," he smiled wanly.

"Talk," the Bat growled, and was on him in the same instant, gloved hands grabbing him, lifting him, and carrying him toward the window. "Or you'll find it really is a long way down."

Jack's eyes rounded all the more.

Kim paced them, and didn't seem to be arguing.

"Okay. Okay. He's a real nut job, though. I….I don't know why he went after you, Miss Possible. But….it was _Gemini._ The head of WEE."

"Gemini," Kim frowned.

"Keep talking," the Bat growled, shoving him out the broken window, letting Jack dangle over a very long fall.

"That's all I know. He came looking for assassins. The best. That's all I know!"

"You're lying," the Bat growled as Kim felt something clench in her chest.

Gemini, sent assassins after her. And her family died.

She felt a cold shiver etch her spine, and once again couldn't help but wonder if she might have been able to prevent their deaths had she been there.

"Drop him," Kim said so coldly that even the Bat glanced over at her.

"No," Jack wailed. "I warned him. I told him _no one_ would take a hit on you. The backlash would be too great. I told him it was a bad idea. But he wouldn't listen. I….."

"Talk," the Bat growled. "Or wave goodbye."

Kim looked out the window, staring down.

"He should just have time to wave," she nodded somberly.

"Look, that's all I know. I…. Wait. Wait, I remember he did say he had a contact in….."

"In?"

"In _Gotham._ They had something big in play, and didn't want _her_ getting involved. Gemini knew it would draw GJ if she did, and he….. He was adamant about keeping them out of it, because he claimed that this time, the world would know WEE was greater than any other organization out there."

"Who?"

"That's all I know. I overheard the bit about the contact, but I have no clue who it is. I swear!"

The Bat grunted in disgust, and glanced down at him after he tossed him back into the room, and against his own desk.

The businessman landed hard, and scrambled to his knees to see the Bat put a boot on the shattered window frame.

"Last chance, Hench. Keep your people out of my city. All of them," he added with a bleak glance toward the fallen Shego. "If they trespass again, you won't see me coming next time. Coming, Miss Possible," he asked, holding out a hand.

Kim pulled out a smaller version of her grapple from the top of a boot, and smirked.

"I've got this," she told the grim detective.

"Hey," he sputtered. "You said….?"

Kim stared back at Jack.

"I lied. Sue me," she said, and fired her grapple up, and out, vanishing in the same instant.

Then the Bat was gone, too, and Jack ran back to the window to see the sleek, black jet flying off.

"She…..lied," he rasped, and backed across the room, to sink heavily into his chair, staring blankly.

Which was Shego groaned, and sat up.

"Wha' happened," she moaned, and stared around her. "Hey, where'd my payday go?"

Jack only dropped his head, and hoped he could survive. Because God help them all if Possible really was going to cross _that_ line. Maybe it was time to start considering another line of work.

"Good work, Shego," he complained. "You just blew a truce that has cost me years, and millions, to keep in place."

"What? That Halloween reject scares you," she sniffed.

"He'd scare you, too, if you knew him."

Shego sniffed in disdain as she pushed to her feet.

"What scares me, Jack, is ending up retiring with less than a few billion in my accounts. Now, let's chat about who you _don't_ want to chat about," she demanded, and flared both hands.

Jack found he could tell her everything after all.

**KP**

"Took you long enough," Shego drawled as Kim and Bruce walked into the parlor to find her sitting with Ron. "Take the scenic route, or something?"

"Ah, didn't you just try to kidnap me," Bruce blinked at her.

"Save the acting for dress-up time, rich boy. You think I didn't figure out who was behind that getup like ten seconds after I woke up. Besides, Kimmie still isn't that good an actress. Loved the other costume, though, _Vixen_," she grinned.

"Vixen," Ron asked in confusion. "Uh, someone want to fill in the blanks," the teen asked, "Because I'm _really_ confused here."

"Like that's new," Shego sniggered at him, lifting the delicate tea cup she was sipping from.

"Perhaps you should just go home," Kim started to say.

"That might be a remarkably _bad_ idea, Miss Possible," Alfred said, returning just then with a heavily laden tray of refreshments. "Your companion chose to visit the master's…..playroom, I believe you called it."

Bruce eyed Ron so coldly that the boy felt his blood might freeze.

"Wait. _His_…..playroom?"

"Yada, yada, yada," Shego complained. "Can we get on with it? I have more information that rich, arrogant, and not so brave didn't give you."

"How do you know what he even said," Kim demanded.

"C'mon, Princess. You really think that sucker-punch of yours put me down? What's wrong, didn't think I could playact, too? You guys rattled him, yeah, but me," she smiled coldly. "I _terrify_ him."

"Really?"

"It might be because you threatened to geld him," Bruce remarked. "Or maybe it was that threat to _hack_ his accounts, and siphon all his private funds that was even more threatening."

"Left a bug, huh? Sneaky," Shego smirked at him. "I like that."

"So, you found the….playroom," Bruce finally said, turning to Ron.

"Well, you know…. We were worried about Kim. Then when we saw the news about Shego attacking…. Or it looked liked she did. Uh, she did attack you? Didn't she," he asked, glancing at Kim.

"Yep. Now, get over it, buffoon. Old news. We've moved on. So should you."

"Huh?"

"So, anyway," Ron asked, "What's with Shego acting for you? Or….whatever? And the whole Fearless Ferret bit, uh, downstairs…..? You don't happen to know Mr. North, do you," he asked Bruce.

Kim groaned.

"Because, you know, TV shows _aren't_ real. Although some of them do seem…"

"Ron," Kim growled.

"How do you put up with this guy," Shego complained, glaring at the clueless teen.

"Hey," Ron fumed at her.

"Obviously, the young man is an acquired taste, madam," Alfred told her dryly.

Shego stared at him, blinked, then blinked again, then sniggered.

"That's a good one. You do sarcasm pretty well, old man."

"I, madam, was not jesting."

"That's just how Alfred is, Shego," Kim sighed.

"Can we get to the part where things make sense again," Ron asked.

"Ten seconds," Bruce asked, focusing on Shego, a single brow arched.

"Unlike some of my…..peers, I'm not blind. Your build, jaw, and manner are evident. That, and you showed up just a little too quickly that first time. Either you rented a room here, or you're the big man himself," she smirked. "And the voice thingy? That's pretty cool. But I've learned to recognize speech patterns a long time ago in my...other work. Yours don't change."

"Well, I'll have to work on that," Bruce murmured, eyeing her. "So, what do you plan on doing now?"

"Doing? It's pretty obvious. I'm going to help Kimmie put that fruitcake down."

"The _League of Assassins_ isn't Henchco," Bruce told her, proving they had overheard everything. "Their leader…."

"I've met Ra's. He tried to hire me once back at the start. I told him no," Shego said blandly.

"You told him no," Bruce asked, arching a brow.

"Well, he didn't _like_ it. But I'm real good at getting my point across," she smirked.

"I'll say," Ron shuddered.

"Stifle it, clown," she growled at him.

"I just don't understand how even someone like Sheldon could tie up with a major player like Ra's al Ghul," Kim asked, having been briefed on the way back after they overheard Jack's coerced confession of all Gemini's plotting.

"Sheldon," Shego asked.

"Ah, man. You're saying Dr. Director's brother is behind all this," Ron exclaimed.

"Her….what," Shego sputtered now. "Are you saying...?"

"Fraternal twin," Kim told her.

"Serious sibling rivalry," Bruce added.

"Very serious issues," Kim nodded. "Frankly, I think calling him nuts would be putting it mild. I still don't get why he would come after me, though. It's been forever since we even met that one time."

"You mean when he wanted the Ron Factor," Ron beamed.

Shego rolled her eyes.

"Ron….Factor," Bruce echoed in genuine bafflement.

"Long story."

"Stupid story. Trust me," Shego told the rich man.

"Hey, he knew a good thing when he….."

He fell silent when he saw Kim's grimmer than usual expression.

"Ron, he murdered my family. He's way past comic relief now. He's going down," Kim spat.

"KP….."

"And you will say nothing. Absolutely nothing about Bruce, or anything else," the redhead told him.

"Kim…."

_"Nothing,"_ she seethed, her green eyes flashing. "Or we're through."

Ron's mouth dropped as she jumped to her feet, and stalked out.

"I'll go talk to her," Shego said quietly as the men just stared at one another.

Bruce only nodded.

"Kim," Ron murmured, but the redhead was already gone.

"Ready to talk, Mr. Stoppable," Bruce Wayne asked him after the door closed behind Shego.

Ron swallowed hard.

"Understand, I do know about Team Possible. I know your own exploits, too. Quite admirable, in your own way. I also know something about mystical monkey power."

"Man," Ron groaned. "Does everyone know…..?"

"I once faced a rogue monkey ninja, too. Unfortunately, he's the same madman that likely inspired your nemesis."

"My….nemesis?"

"Fukushima?"

"Oh, you mean Monkey Fist?"

"Actually, I mean Lord Fiske. Or do I take it he is using another name now?"

"Dude, Fist has gone way around the bend these days," Ron admitted. "Compared to him, Fukashima is…..a playground bully."

"I'll take your word for that one."

"Let me guess. You never had those issues?"

"Never went to public schools," Bruce told the teen dryly.

"Heh. Right. So….."

"My secrets need to stay that way, Stoppable. For everyone's safety. Can you agree to that?"

"Hey, I've always had Kim's back. Always. If she needs….anything….."

"Right now, she needs you to go home, and watch your friends."

"But….."

"Think, Mr. Stoppable. If this madman is willing to kill her parents, how long will it be before he decides to try striking at Kim's _friends_ to reach her?"

"Man, I'll bet even Wade didn't think about that one," Ron gasped.

"I suggest you go home now. Keep your mouth closed, and your eyes open."

"Ah, you do know Wade kind of already knows….."

"I'll be discussing things with him soon enough. Do you need a ride home?"

Ron blushed.

"Now that you mention it."

"You car is ready, sir," Alfred remarked, appearing as if on some hidden cue.

"I'm trusting you, Ronald," Bruce said with a cool gaze as Ron rose to his feet.

"Hey, I know everyone thinks I'm just a buffoon….."

"I don't," Bruce told him. "Nor, I think, does Kim. Go watch your friends, Ronald. For both your sakes. Remember, your own parents could be on that list, too."

Ron's eyes rounded, and the teen's usually carefree expression darkened now.

"Not on my watch," he murmured, his brown eyes glittering with blue just then. "Not on my watch."

"Take him home," Bruce told Alfred.

"As you wish, Master Bruce."

Bruce sat back, then stared toward the nearby window where the day was fast becoming night.

Things were starting to unravel. Still, the puzzle was still missing pieces. Why would someone like Ra's even use someone like Gemini? Had to be a feint. Something to divert them.

From what, he mused grimly.

From what?

_To Be Continued…_


	9. Chapter 9

_I do not own the characters named herein from either Disney, or D.C., and am only using them for a tale meant for entertainment purposes only._

**Kim Possible: Sacrifices**

**By LJ58**

**9**

"Kimmie?"

"What do you want," Kim muttered as she stood on the balcony outside her room, looking at the setting sun.

It was a nice view, but just then, all she wanted was her own room. Her own family.

Only they were gone.

Dead, and gone.

And her mother…..

"I'm really sorry about this, Princess," Shego told her. "I know you have reason to doubt me, but…..I never would have let this happen to you if I had known."

"Why would you care?"

"My idiot brothers aside," she tried to joke, "I know what it's like to lose family. My parents died early. And I know that pain."

"But were they murdered," Kim spat, not looking back at her as Shego came up behind her.

"Yes. By the comet that changed us."

Kim said nothing to that.

"It wasn't in our official history, of course, but….yeah. The comet exploded, transforming us, right before the blast destroyed our house, _and_ our parents," she told her. "And, too, I really like Ann. Even your father, goofy as he was," she said uneasily. "They were….are…..good people. Like you."

Kim said nothing.

"I'm not good. Not….that good. You of all people know how many mistakes I've made. I should have quit. Back when you first said so. Then, maybe….? I just should have…."

"Hey," Shego said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We both know you don't know how to quit. You'll find this freak, and you'll stop him. I know you will."

Kim turned now, and Shego had never seen such a glacial expression in the young teen's eyes. Not even when she had kicked Shego off that roof some time back.

"I don't want to stop him, Shego," she said so blandly it struck Shego as unnatural. "I want to _kill_ him. I want to tear him apart. I don't care about his reasons. Or his insanity. I just want him….."

"I can relate. You think you're the first person to ever feel like this," Shego asked gently. "But, Kim, if you go there, then you end up like….. Me," she said quietly. "And trust me, you're better than that. You're better than me."

Kim said nothing to that for a moment.

"What he did….."

"Do you think the harpy knew? You think she would cover for him," Shego abruptly cut her off to ask.

Kim's expression turned even colder at Shego's query.

"I don't know. I just…. I don't know anything any more."

"Look, I know we've always had our own issues, but…. I really would like to help you, Kimmie. At least, in this….sitch. What this freak did? It was way _over_ the line. Way over."

Kim stared hard at her. Then slowly nodded.

"There is something you can do."

"What," Shego asked her. "Anything. Word of honor. I'll….."

"Go guard my mom. I know Bruce said he has her taken care of, and hired good people, but….we both know there aren't many as good as you. Shego, if the League of Assassins is out to get rid of us. All of us…. I need to know mom is safe. I need you to watch her. Please," Kim asked her.

It was telling that Kim didn't even try her childish pout on her.

"Like I said, Kim. For you, anything. Just do something for me."

"What?"

"Don't kill him. That's not you. Don't let that freak change you. Because if you do, then he's still won. And you can't let him. Just….be yourself. Okay?"

Kim stared at her even harder.

"Why would you care?"

Shego sighed.

"Does it matter? When we fight, it's….fun. I respect you, and I know you can face me. It's a….God help me for saying it, a fair fight. An _honorable_ fight. If you cross that line, though, you lose that honor. That…..goodness. Don't throw that away for a freak like him. Just…..don't."

Kim sighed.

"I need to think," Kim murmured. "But….if I know mom's safe, I think I can think clearer. Get back on track."

"Good. Good," Shego nodded, letting her hand fall from her shoulder, and taking a step back.

"I'll talk to Bruce about getting you in place."

"You're not going to ask me to keep my mouth shut about pretty-boy's _playroom_?"

"We both know Bruce can take care of himself. If he hasn't done, or said anything, then I think he already knows you can be trusted."

"Or, he might just turn off my powers again," she said sourly.

"That, too," Kim said quietly, and looked back toward the growing night. "C'mon. Let's go see him now. I should apologize to Ron, too. I did kind of….."

"You're worried, and you have a lot of pressure. I'm sure even that….even he knows that."

"Maybe," Kim murmured, and headed back toward the door. "Shego. Thanks."

"For what?"

Shego gaped when Kim suddenly smiled over her shoulder at her, and she just stood and stared at her.

"First, for helping us when you didn't really have to help."

"And….?'

"For finally admitting I'm better than you," the redhead suddenly grinned cockily.

"_Princess_," she growled, the redhead walking off with a very smug grin now.

Shego could only growl at her back.

**KP**

"Focus," the Bat growled at her as the sleek, powerful car carried them onto the streets of Gotham. "You cannot lose your concentration out here. Especially not against the League. They don't give second chances, or elaborate death traps. They just kill you."

"I know."

"Do you," the grim vigilante asked.

"I ran into a cell in China once. At the end of a….mission, my ride was hijacked by them. Three of them killed themselves rather than be taken," Kim recalled. "That was after killing nine armed Marines like they were children."

"Then you were lucky to live."

"I'm the one that put them down," Kim said.

"That is impressive, then. I have little doubt Ra's knew it, too, and that might be why, at least in part, he allowed Gemini to join him. He's nothing, if not vindictive."

"Like I said, I never did get much out of those guys at the time. I wasn't even sure what they were really after. I just figured them for rogue ninja, or something."

"Meet many of those, do you," he remarked as he took a sudden turn, and stopped the car, parking in a dark alley.

"You might be surprised," she sighed.

Her new mentor eyed her, and then switched off the car.

"I suspect much of your….adventures never made it to your official website, did they?"

"Some things were, and still are….classified," she admitted.

"I don't doubt it. Just remember, keep your eyes and ears open, and for now, follow my lead. Gotham is different from Middleton. It takes a….different tact."

Kim only nodded, and adjusted her battle-suit's settings.

"Need….?"

She eyed the small grapnel he held out as the car opened over their heads, and smiled behind her new mask.

"My suit has an onboard grapple," she said, lifted a wrist, firing a mini-hook from her wrist, and catching the low roof of the brownstone overhead, and seeming to fly up into the air.

The Bat was right behind her.

"Nice trick," he said in his gravely tone.

"I hope you managed to deflect Wade," she said after they paused to study the view below them after crossing several roofs, going steadily higher.

"We reached an understanding," he told her as he easily paced her.

"I know he can be….nosy. Anyway, thanks for getting Shego on your team. I feel better about mom's safety knowing she's there. I don't know many that can get past her."

"You obviously have a…..curious relationship."

"It's complicated," she sighed.

"I've a few of those relationships myself," he admitted blandly. "Hold on. Two o'clock. What do you see?"

Kim turned, her visor shifting spectrums as she picked up the IFR images that showed a struggling body being dragged into an alley by two others.

"Either a mugging, or a trap."

"In this city, it could be either. We don't take chances, though. Follow, but stay back. This is still my city," he growled, and flung himself into the air without hesitation. "I'm still not certain you're really prepared for certain realities."

"Now, that, is cool," she murmured, eyeing the way he let his cape flair, catching the air, and gliding down silently toward the struggling trio without making a sound.

Then she fired her grapple again, and swung after him.

**KP**

Wade still felt a knot in his chest, and wondered if he was too young for heart failure.

When Kim's distinctive signal paged him, she thought she made it back, likely with Ron's help, and was just checking in with him. Only it wasn't Kim's face on the monitor when he switched on his system.

"Boy," the fierce visage behind a grim cowl growled when he found himself staring at the genuine face of an urban legend. "You are getting in over your head. Back off, or you will find yourself in more trouble than even Miss Possible can stop for you. _Am I clear_?"

Wade had been so stunned by that grim presence, which he felt even through the monitor, that he had only nodded.

"Then we should never have to _meet._ Agreed," the cloaked shadow all but demanded.

Wade slowly shook his head.

The screen went dark without another word.

Still, he had to wonder, what was Kim getting into out there? Was she still safe?

And why was he now afraid to even message her?

Which was when his monitor chirped again.

He actually cringed for a moment, when he realized it wasn't coming from Kim's Kimmunicator. Either of them.

"Ron," Wade gasped when the his face appeared, and he seemed to be on a jet, in flight. "You're all right?"

"Yeah, Wade. Listen, Kim and I met. She's safe. Everything's….coolio. We have another sitch, though."

"What is it," he asked, still feeling more than uneasy.

"Wade, we might _all_ be targets. Kim's family, it was not only not an accident; any of us, or our families, could be next. You need to put a super-huge eye out. Someone called the League of Assassins, courtesy of that loon Gemini, and they are looking to stamp out Team Possible."

"The…..League…."

Wade felt another chill etch his spine.

Even he had overheard rumors about them. They were not nice people. Not even close. They made Drakken and Dementor seem like playground bullies. When he had intercepted several missions from people wanting Kim to go against them, he had deleted them every time. Good as she was, and getting, even Wade knew Kim had not been ready for those guys.

And now, it looked like they had come after them anyway.

"Why would Gemini, or…..those guys be after us," Wade asked.

"Don't know. Yet. Kim's looking into that angle. Maybe you could ask Dr. Director? If you think we can still trust her? You know, with the whole twisted sibs bit, and all."

Wade frowned.

"I don't think she would turn on us, Ron," Wade told him. "Not even for her brother. They do have issues, but…."

"They are still family," Ron said somberly, sounding unusually subdued.

"Ron? Are you okay? Did you meet….?"

"No one, Wade," Ron stressed. "I met absolutely _no one_."

"Gotcha," Wade nodded knowingly. "I'll put out feelers, and start sharpening my watch on Middleton. If anyone strange shows up, I'll let you know."

"Good. I'll be back in town in…..two hours."

"That fast?"

"I got a through flight," he said.

"Really?"

"I was…..lucky," Ron said, still somber, and then just hung up without another word.

"Yeah," Wade murmured, "Lucky."

Then, absorbing what had been said, and unsaid, Wade went back to work.

**KP**

"I need to ask you a question," Kim said bluntly as her unusually somber expression appeared on her video-com the next morning.

Dr. Director nodded.

"Anything, Kim. I hope you're doing….."

"This is serious," Kim cut her off. "I found a lead."

"Did you? Then it's more than we have. What did you…..?"

"Dr. Director, did you know _Sheldon_ was dealing with the League of Assassins to help bring me down?"

Betty showed genuine shock on her usually blank face for one of the few times in all the time Kim had known her.

"Did you," she repeated sternly.

"No," Dr. Director finally grit out. "I won't ask if you're sure. How did you find….?"

"I've been chasing a few leads of my own. We think the attack on me, though, was incidental. We think they're working on something….bigger."

"Damn. Gemini has been unnaturally quiet of late. You said…we? Who….?"

"Wade and I have been in touch," Kim deflected her. "I want to still trust you," she stated coolly, "So I'm telling you this. Shego is now in place to protect my mother. Don't let anyone bother her if she is spotted. I'd consider that a favor."

Betty said nothing to that.

She had wondered why Shego had just vanished after very publicly challenging, and apparently beating Kim. She would love to know what that had been about, because she suddenly guessed Kim was playing her own game out there. One that had her already two or three steps ahead of her best operatives, who had yet to find out anything regarding this mystery.

"Kim, I didn't know. But I'm going to find out what's going on. One way, or another. I promise you."

"I am taking him down, Betty," Kim said now.

"Kim….."

"Down," she stressed.

The channel went dark, and Betty sat back in her chair, and swore softly.

"Will," she shouted.

"I heard," the young agent said as he walked into her office on cue. "I was monitoring her transmission after she had supposedly been captured, but I couldn't ping her location. She was jamming it.

"I know," Betty nodded. "Find Sheldon, Will. We have to diffuse this one before that idiot sets off something even worse. Because if he's actually playing games with Ra's al Ghul's League….."

"Understood," he nodded grimly. "I'll alert all our men on station, and try to track down WEE's latest hideout."

"Work fast, Agent Du," she told him as he turned to go. "Something tells me we may all be running out of time. Because even Kim Possible can't take on the entire League of Assassins by herself."

Will said nothing to that, and simply left the office to carry out his orders.

_To Be Continued…_


	10. Chapter 10

_I do not own the characters named herein from either Disney, or D.C., and am only using them for a tale meant for entertainment purposes only._

**Kim Possible: Sacrifices**

**By LJ58**

**10**

"Hey, Ron. Heard you went to see Kim. How was she," Monique asked her friend when Ron appeared in school that next week after being missing most of the weekend.

"Grim," he told her quietly, far from himself even then. "Really grim."

"Yeah, I can see that. Have you heard anything about her mom," the ebony beauty asked him hopefully.

"No."

"Oh. So, how's she doing with that rich cousin….."

Ron looked around, knowing he didn't have much time, and leaned over to say, "Watch your back. If Kim's right, bad guys are going to be looking to take out all her _friends_, next."

Monique visibly paled.

"Please tell me you are….."

"No joke," he said. "If you see anyone….off... Blaze," he told her. "Or find me. I've got Wade covering the whole town, but it is a big town. Someone bad is out there, Moni. And Kim doesn't think they're done."

The fashion-conscious teen just stared at him as Ron straightened up in his seat again.

"What about Kim? Won't she need….?"

"She has….other backup," he said quietly.

"Okay, listen up," a familiar booming voice drawled as a known, and less than liked figure stormed into the classroom. "Ms. Beeman broke her legs yesterday figure skating. So….."

"Not you," someone groaned.

Barkin instinctively looked toward Ron, but the usual troublemaker wasn't even paying attention to him. He was staring out the nearby window.

"Stoppable, what do you think you're doing already daydreaming."

Even the big ex-Marine took a double-take when Ron stared at him, then looked back out the window.

"Not daydreaming," he said blandly.

"Then what do you think you're doing, funnyman?"

"Looking for bad guys," he said so soberly that everyone in the class eyed him.

Mr. Barkin, stunned by his earnestness, found he didn't have a comeback.

"What bad guys," he demanded.

Ron didn't even look back at him now.

"The one's coming to wipe us all out."

Some students laughed. A few nervously.

There were just as many gasps.

"This is all Possible's fault. I know it is," Bonnie's strident voice complained from across the room.

Ron glanced her way, and stated evenly, "You should be safe, B. They're likely only after KP's _friends_."

That shut everyone up.

**KP**

"You still pull your punches when you shouldn't," her new mentor scowled as they stood back from one another in the underground gym. "Some of the people we'll face are stronger than the usual Henches you meet, Vixen," he had taken to calling her in the cave to keep her in character. "You keep doing that, and they'll hand your butt back to you. Then, there is the League."

"I don't want to hurt you," Kim told him blandly.

"Me?"

"Right now, I'm wearing a state-of-the-art battle-suit based on old Centurian tech friends of my dad's recovered from a UFO. Even on low power, it packs a punch," she admitted. "Watch," she said, and activated the band on her wrist. Her belt, and gauntlets glowed, and she zipped across the gym, slammed several punches into a bag, and virtually destroyed the bag before zipping back to where she had been.

"I've heard of that tech. Most of it was mothballed, and deemed impractical."

"Well, after I….accidentally interacted with the prototype, it somehow keyed to my genetics, and so it wouldn't work for anyone else but me. It's something built into even the successive models that even Wade hasn't figured out how to undo."

"Not that I doubt he's tried too hard, since it is an impressive secret weapon."

"Well, it took a full month to really learn to focus on controlling it. A lot of the new systems are cybernetic. So all I have to do is think, and most systems now respond to just a thought."

"That is…..impressive. I take it you have learned to control it?"

"Trial and error, but it works. The first one actually overloaded my emotions, so Wade learned to fuel it off kinetic energy, rather than adrenal responses. Only that creates a loop that can exponentially amp speed, and strength to insane heights without the failsafe limiters he built in. Still, even with the limiter, that can happen if I cut loose," she said, indicating the burst bag laying to one side of the chain.

The Bat nodded, and told her, "Were you wearing it the first time we fought?"

"Wearing it, wasn't using it. I can switch off the amping abilities when not needed. Fighting most guys I've faced, I've rarely needed it."

"Then why wear it?"

"Stealth-cloak, limited speed boosts, rocket boots, and onboard grapple. Handy tools in any occasion."

The detective merely nodded.

"Isn't your suit like that?"

"Hardly. It's lightweight Kevlar. My tools are in my gloves, or belt. But my most important ones are my mind, and my skills."

"I get that," Kim nodded.

"All right. Turn off your suit, and come at me with all _you_ have. I want to push you without your…..trump card."

Kim smiled somberly.

"Anything you say," she said. "Just as long as it gets me closer to Gemini."

"I have new leads. We'll visit one tonight."

"Good," she murmured. "I'm getting tired of hiding in shadows."

"Only that is just what we're going to keep doing. Or do you want an even larger target painted on you, or your friends?"

Kim scowled.

"You know what I mean."

"I hope you know what I mean," the Bat shot back, launching a punch without warning.

And then the fight was one again.

**KP**

Shego sighed, and walked away from the window that looked down on a wide, green meadow.

Gordon Rehab was a very private, very reclusive clinic that was in the middle of ten acres of private land. Behind high walls, and covered by some very serious security. Even as Shego was escorted inside, she saw nine blind spots, and three different ways she could have strolled in without trying. She had the feeling if she really checked, she could find more.

When she was taken to Ann Possible's room, she almost didn't recognize the redhead.

She was shrunken, covered by thin sheets, and all but hidden behind a maze of tubes and wires, and IV needles that seemed to be stuck everywhere. The woman's once vibrant features were pale, and slack, and her head was still wrapped in thick bandages.

She seemed more a caricature than a living woman.

She found it struck her deeper than expected, and she just pulled a chair over, and sit by the bed, staring at the comatose woman for a very long time.

Dressed in dark slacks, and a muted green top, she hardly looked like a special bodyguard Mr. Wayne had hired to watch over his relative. Especially when her green-skinned visage was so obvious to almost anyone that bothered to really look at her.

"If Mr. Wayne himself had not vouched for you," one doctor kept grumbling, obviously not caring for her presence.

"Then complain to him," she finally shot back.

He hadn't been back. Not yet.

After three days of relative silence, having decided to simply move into the room so she could keep an eye on the woman, Shego found herself starting to talk to her.

"Hey, Ann," she found herself speaking as if the woman really could hear her. Maybe she could. She had heard it both ways, but who really knew?.

"I guess you know who this is by now," she told her. "Kimmie sent me. She's really worried about you. She's fine, by the way. Really anxious to see you back on your feet. So you really need to get better soon."

She ended up spending whole days talking to the woman, unexpectedly dragging up old memories, and silly anecdotes she shared. Even giving special secrets she doubted anyone else would ever guess. After all, who was she going to tell?

"You really need to wake up, though," she finally told her one day. "I'm really worried about Kimmie. She's headed for a dark place. She needs you. Or I'm afraid she may not come back. Wake up, Ann. Please, wake up," she told her, and sighed, and stared at the woman.

Which was when the door opened, and a nurse walked in behind her.

Shego saw her shadow moving. Saw her approaching just behind her.

Then she just tilted the chair back, letting it fall as she fell with it, coming up to drive her feet into the woman's chest, and driving her out of the room as Shego kept rolling, came back up on her feet, and spun around to face her.

"Don't think so," she growled, glaring at the obvious assassin.

"The cold-eyed woman glared at Shego, and assessed her in a single glance.

"I'm curious," the woman murmured with a faint trace of an accent that suggested India, even if she looked Chinese. "What gave me away."

"You're too quiet for a duty nurse," Shego sneered. "Those woman are huffing, and puffing, and worn out by this time of day. You were floating like you had wings. Too damned quiet for a real nurse."

"Live, and learn. A shame you won't," she said, and pulled matching daggers.

"Back at you, assassin," and her hands erupted in energy.

"You….aren't wearing your gloves," the woman frowned.

Shego laughed.

"You are suffering from another misconception. My gloves don't give me powers. It's all natural," she smiled coldly even as security belatedly came running up the hall.

"Careful," a man shouted her way as Shego closed on her. "She's already killed three guards!"

"That's because you sent a boy…..to do a woman's job," Shego growled, and blocked one knife thrust at her, twisted from a kick, and then knocked the other knife spinning from the faux nurse's hands as the security guards tried to rush the assassin.

"Get back," Shego warned, but one man howled as the woman deftly sliced a line across the man's chest when he tried to grab her.

"Get him out of here. That blade is likely poisoned."

"You seem to know much of me, Green One," the woman scowled.

"I get around."

"So I've heard. Weren't you working on the other side of the law last week," the nurse sneered.

"What can I say," Shego spat, blocking several quick strikes, and driving the woman back again with a hard kick. "I'm fickle!"

"Not much longer," the woman sneered, cutting a long line down Shego's left arm with her dagger.

Shego jumped back, glaring at her, and tugged at the shredded sleeve.

"Do you know what this top cost," she demanded indignantly.

"It will soon not matter," the assassin spat even as the guard she had cut began to convulse, and white foam spilled from his lips as his companions stared in horror at the dying man.

The nurse turned her back on Shego, stalking back into the room to raise her weapon over Ann Possible's chest.

Just before Shego clamped a glowing hand over the assassin's hand holding the dagger.

The woman screeched, jerking back even as she dropped her partially melted weapon while cradling her scorched hand.

"How? You should….be dying….?"

Shego saw her fear now.

"My only flaw," Shego smiled coldly, reaching for her with two glowing hands. "I live to disappoint."

The woman swore, in Chinese now, and then turned, and ran right at the window. She flung herself out, and smashed through blinds, glass, and all, and went straight down. They were, Shego knew, on the fifth floor.

She walked over, looked down, and saw the twisted body below.

Turning back to see two doctor's now rushing in to check their patient, with two surviving security guards staring at her incredulously from the door, she swore, and eyed her shredded blouse again.

"Ready to listen to me about your security now," she asked the older man in uniform.

He nodded numbly.

"How….did you survive that….poison," the younger guard asked. "Tom went down like…."

"Comet power, rent-a-cop. It pretty much works as a hyper-immune system, too. That, and I'm really hard to take down."

"She's still stable," the elder doctor finally said with a sigh as he turned from Ann's bed.

"You better check on the duty nurse that was supposed to be here, too," Shego suggested, dropping back into the chair she put back on its feet. "I'll keep an eye out for backup until you guys finish sweeping the area for any of her friends."

The two men looked horrified.

The doctor didn't seem to bat an eye, and simply said, "I'll have a new nurse sent up right away," he assured her. "If only to check that gash for you."

"Hot coffee, too. I get the feeling it'll be a long night," Shego added, not adding her arm would be healed by morning anyway. It just wasn't that serious a cut.

**KP**

"Yes, Alfred," Bruce asked when the man came in looking even more dour than usual just as he and Kim were about to go out for the night.

"Miss Go called, sir," he told him, and Kim tensed.

"Mom's okay," she asked uneasily.

"She's fine. Thanks to Miss Go. Another assassin tried to kill her. Your friend stopped her, but the assassin took her own life when she realized she had been thwarted."

"So, they are still after Ann," Bruce murmured.

"Then they might still go after my friends, too," Kim frowned.

"Your friends, and Global Justice, have all been alerted," Alfred assured her.

"Yes, and if we want to stop this," Bruce told her, "Then we need to find, and remove the head of this snake. Ready?"

"Yes," Kim said curtly.

Alfred eyed her, and frowned as Kim vanished into the back to change.

"Are you sure she's not too…..?"

"She's not Dick," Bruce told him, reaching for his cowl. "That said, even I don't have any right to stand in her way. If I did, it would only make things worse. This is one she has to face herself, or she'll never move on."

"As you say, sir," Alfred murmured. "Only I recall how close Master Richard came to crossing the line, as it were. And he very nearly got you both killed doing it."

Kim came out just then, clad once more as the Vixen, and walked over to eye Alfred.

"Tell Shego I appreciate her help with mom," she told him. Then headed for the car without looking back.

The Bat nodded at his friend, then followed Kim to the car.

_To Be Continued….._


	11. Chapter 11

_I do not own the characters named herein from either Disney, or D.C., and am only using them for a tale meant for entertainment purposes only._

**Kim Possible: Sacrifices**

**By LJ58**

**11**

"There," the Bat murmured, pointing at a man lounging in front of a seedy bar that likely gave seedy bars a bad name. "That's our contact."

"I know him," Kim said quietly.

"Do you?"

"He's usually in a Henchco uniform. Calls himself Lars, and often works almost exclusively for Dr. Drakken."

"The name I know is Larry 'Bones' Sanders. A three-time loser who spends more time in jail, than out. Just got out last month, but is rumored to be connected to most of the bigger crime lords in the region. I didn't know he farmed out to your Drakken, though," the Bat admitted.

"You think he's tied to the League, too?"

"If not, then it's a sure bet he knows something. As I said, he's connected."

"Let me take him."

"Vixen….."

"Don't worry. I'm in control," she said, and kept her gaze fixed on the big man with laser-like intensity.

"Keep it that way," he growled, as they swung down toward the bar, sticking to the roofs.

"Right," she huffed, and easily paced him, even if their styles were different.

A few minutes later, they stood on the lower roof of the bar, just over the unsuspecting man.

"I get the feeling he's waiting for someone," Kim murmured.

"Probably just working as a bouncer for the night. And lookout. A lot of illicit deals are made in there. If the police were going to raid, certain parties would pay well for a timely warning before they broke in."

"That makes sense. Better do this quick, then."

"Maybe I should…"

Kim somersaulted down, landed in front of Lars/Larry, and saw his eyes round even as his thick lips started to part.

Kim smashed a hard right into his jaw, clicking his mouth shut, even as she grabbed his collar as she aimed her grapple up, and carried him back up with her as she retracted the line, making it seem she had just taken off into the air.

It took her off of five seconds before dragging the stunned man up, and onto the roof to lay him at the Bat's feet.

The man sat up, glaring at her, not even noticing the frozen shadow just behind him as she stepped forward to confront him, dropping her voice an octave before speaking to further mask her usual tone.

"I hear you have contacts, big man. I need some information from you. Give, and you keep your keep your teeth. As a start."

"You're not the Bat," the big man spat, sneering at her. "You're just some wannabe. Well, I'm not telling you….."

Kim's fist launched him up off his feet even as he moved to stand up, and sent him flying almost four feet to skid across the roof to the far edge.

"That was me going easy," Kim growled, cracking her gloved knuckles as the man sat up again, this time groaning as one hand went to his right side, feeling something white-hot that stabbed in his side even as she stalked toward him.

"You….. _Easy?"_

"I ask the questions," she spat, staring down at him coldly. "You answer them. Why is Ra's al Ghul in Gotham? What's he planning?"

"Ghul? I don't work with that freak. No one _smart_ does!"

"I didn't ask about your current job. I asked what he was up to out there. I think you know. You're going to tell me. Or…"

She grabbed his collar, jerking him up, and her visored gaze bore into his.

"Or we'll find a nice, tall building big enough to dangle you off. Right before I drop you."

"You….wouldn't," he rasped, still moaning as he clutched his side.

"You seem to think I'm someone else. Trust me. I am worse. I will _end_ you if you don't cooperate. Without hesitation. Talk," she growled. "Or you'd better learn to fly really fast."

"Look…. I don't know. I know he's holed up with Gemini down at the docks somewhere. Why, don't know. Don't care. I avoid _those_ kinds of nuts. One's enough! I swear! I swear!"

"I believe him. Drop him," a grim growl sounded, and the Bat stepped out of the shadows once more.

"Oh, hell," Lars moaned, dropping to his knees as he looked up at the caped hero who seemed to appear as if by magic.

"I thought you learned the last time, Bones. I don't like you in my city."

"Is she….with you?"

"No. She's a freelancer. The kind that you usually only see once. Get my meaning," the Bat suggested wryly.

The big man looked up at the slip of girl in a dark suit, and moaned.

"Man, girls are just not the same way I remember them any more."

"One last question," Vixen added as if an afterthought. "The Possible assassination in Middleton. What do you know?"

"You…..know about…..?"

"Tell me what you know."

"Nothing. I just heard about it on the news. Why would you…..care," he choked off when the female raised a fist.

"They stepped on some very important toes pulling that job the way they did. Some very important toes. I'd like to repay the favor. I suggest you tell me everything you do know."

Lars babbled until he passed out. Only it seemed he didn't really know anything that helped her. Not really.

In the end, it seemed she had not quite pulled her punch as well as she had thought. The man had three broken ribs, and a fractured collar bone. Kim found it hard to feel guilty.

"I'd have done worse," the Bat told her as they had continued their patrol, now focusing on the city docks. "I have done worse. The trick is to know when it's necessary. And when it's not."

Kim said nothing to that one.

**KP**

"We've another guest, sir. For the young lady," Alfred told them Kim and Bruce jumped out of the car, and she headed for the computer, still feeling a little letdown that Lars, or whatever name he used, had not been of more help.

Sure, he put Batman in touch with the local hoods who were helping arm area gangs for some upcoming scheme, but he knew nothing about her family, or the hit on them. In short, nothing important to her.

"For me," she frowned. "Not Ron again," she sighed.

"No, Miss Possible. Still, I believe you know them."

After freshening up, Kim and Bruce made a show of coming in the front door after slipping out the back, and then walked in to meet the tall, lanky man with a battered Stetson in one hand still standing, rather than take a seat.

"Uncle Slim," she gasped, and rushed to his outstretched arms when he held them out.

"Hey, there, gal. Sorry I missed the funeral. Gov'mint work. Ol' Jamey-boy would understand, but…. Heck, I shore did wish I could'a been there. Only I didn't even know till….."

"I know, Uncle Slim. I'm sorry you weren't there, too. I'm sorry….it even happened," she choked, just holding onto her uncle.

"You doing all right, there, buckaroo," he asked gently, patting her back as she clung to him.

She gave a watery laugh.

"I'm getting there," she smiled weakly. "We're still looking for the people that killed…. That…."

"Killed? Hold on one second? You're saying….what happened weren't no accident?"

"We believe evidence has been found that suggests your brother, and his family, were deliberately targeted, sir," Bruce told him. "Bruce Wayne. Thomas' son?"

"I remember Tom. Right ornery cuss in his day. Hated to hear what happened to him, too," Slim nodded. "Been worried about you, too, boy. Not too constant, are you?"

Bruce said nothing to that.

"And what's this about you being little Kimmie's guardian? Why din't none of them durn fool bureaucrats even call me? Shoot, I'd have galloped down here in a heartbeat if I knowed my best niece was in trouble."

"That's probably why they didn't say anything, Uncle Slim," she said quietly. "Since you were still working for them. How's Joss?"

"You know Joss. She's still taking it pretty hard, herself. She take finding out they was kilt on purpose worse," he predicted. "And….Annie? How's your mom, Kim?"

"Bad," she said, glancing away. "She's bad."

Slim said nothing, then shook his head as he batted his hat against his long leg as Kim finally let go of him, and backed away.

"So, why did you come all the way out here? You could have called…..?"

"Now hold on one second, gal. Why did I come out here? I'd think it were plumb obvious. I might….somewhat respect little Bruce here….."

"Little," Bruce drawled, arching one growl.

"But my niece needs t' be with real family. Not an overgrown….."

"Uncle Slim, I'm staying," Kim declared, cutting him off.

The big man gaped at her.

"But, Kim….?"

"Mom's near the city. And I'm still working with Wade on…..a few things. We have leads. I'm not letting whoever did this get away with it. I hope you understand."

Slim frowned coldly, then looked hard at Bruce.

"I don't 'spose you got any say in this'n?"

"I had enough trouble arranging my guardianship the first time," Bruce told him. "Upsetting her now might make things worse."

"Trouble," Slim nodded.

"Uncle Slim, someone tried to use the foster system to drag me off to…..somewhere. Maybe someone. I'm still in trouble here. Only now I'm in a place where I can see it coming. So, I need to stay here."

"You sure you trust this greenhorn if'n that trouble comes calling sudden-like," he asked the redhead, still eyeing Bruce. "I gotta be honest, gal. He may be family…. _Distant_ family….. On yer mom's side, too….. But he's not all that well thought of."

"Mom trusted him," Kim said quietly.

"She did? Shoot, and I didn't even think Annie knew you, boy," Slim drawled, eyeing Bruce again.

"We had…..mutual complaints in the past," Bruce drawled blandly.

"Knowing your old gran, I don't doubt it. They never took to James, either. Then again, they didn't take to anyone. All right, Kim," Slim nodded, knocking his hat against his long legs again. "You kin stay, I reckon. For now," he added, scowling at Bruce. "I hear one thing wrong, though, I'm coming ridin' in, loaded for bear. And don't be bashful, neither," he told her. "You need us, you call. You hear me, gal?"

"I will, Uncle Slim," she said, hugging him again. "It was kind of nice seeing you again, too. Tell Joss I say hey. Maybe…. Maybe when this is over, I can come up and see you guys then."

"Anytime, gal. Anytime," Slim told her, and kissed her brow gently. "And don't you give up on Annie. That gal's a fighter! Had to be, with her family," he grunted his obvious disapproval.

"I know. I'm just making sure she has a chance. You be careful, too. Uncle Slim. My enemies might not know you. But….."

"Shoot, you know me, Kim. Any trouble comes our way, and I'd say they'll be wishing they had kept ridin' 'fore me, and Joss are done with him," he grinned.

"I don't doubt it. Just….be careful."

"Always, gal. Just remember….. Anything is possible…."

"For a Possible," she smiled, and hugged him yet again. "Thanks, Uncle Slim. You always could cheer me up."

"Mopin' don't solve nothing, gal. You ought t' know that by now," he chided her with a grin, an da wink. "Still, if'n yer set on stayin', then I reckon I'll be moseyin' on home, and seeing what my little gal has been up to lately."

"Bye, Uncle Slim," she waved, following him to the door where he walked out to get into a huge pickup, with a suspicious looking bed packed full of something under a flat bed-cover.

She guessed it was packed with specials, because it was set low in spite of the truck's elevated suspension.

When the engine started, roaring like a jet, Slim waved again from the cab, and then drove away.

"So, you knew Slim?"

"We met just before my parents died. My father helped him with something. Even I don't know what. I've only seen him a few times since. Obviously, we've both been busy."

Kim merely nodded as they turned back inside.

"Doesn't matter. We have work to do."

Bruce nodded.

"Yes. We do."

**KP**

"Man, I think Barkin is the devil himself, sometimes. You know, if you believe in a devil? I didn't, until I met him," Ron complained as he and Monique walked home together.

"He's not that bad, Ron."

"Tell it someone he's not out to get," Ron complained. "Even after I explained about KP, and everything, he just stands there looking all smug, and declares _he_ has nothing to worry about. So, I can get detention for disrupting his class."

"Well….."

"It was homeroom! Homeroom! And he wasn't even supposed to be there! I tell you, something is wrong here. Seriously wrong."

Monique, used to Ron's fits, only smiled.

"Maybe he is just secretly jealous, and….."

"No," Ron said, suddenly somber, and looking very serious for a change. "Something is wrong…._here_," he stressed, putting an arm up to stop her, and looking around.

Just as his communicator chirped.

"Answer it," he told her, shoving the device at Monique as he continued to glance around, his frown growing as something inside him suggested not only bad road, but bad with a big 'B.'

"Hey, Ron, I just thought you'd like to kno…. Whoa, Monique," the boy squeaked. "Uh…..hi. Where's Ron," he asked as Wade continued to babble at seeing her.

Monique couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"I'm standing next to him. He's acting weird. Uh, weirder."

"Well, tell him to watch out. I spotted a van from out of state that parked outside town last night. Only it's been parked in the same spot for over twelve hours, and no one is in it."

Ron glanced at the device, nodded curtly, and suddenly ran forward without a word.

To Monique's shock, he jumped straight up, and to the side, landing in the middle of Mrs. Dubois' shrubs, and started making crazy noises. Right before a man dressed like a vagrant was knocked sprawling into the middle of the road, a long, curved dagger flying from his hands as the shrubs continued to reflect whatever else was going on in, or behind them.

"W-Wade," Monique gasped, seeing that fallen man's arms ringed by strange tattoos that didn't look like the usual biker, or military marks, "I think Ron just found some of your bad guys," she said, turning the communicator screen toward the fallen man, and then the violently shaking bush.

"You're right. Stay with Ron, Monique," Wade told her. "I'm calling the cops!"

"Shouldn't I run," she asked, trying not to sound like she was scared.

She wasn't.

She was terrified.

"No! Staying with Ron is the safest place you can be just now. Trust me on that," he told her.

"Okay, brainy-boy, but if I die, I'm so haunting you forever," she told him.

She didn't catch his murmur, but she thought he looked like he was grinning just before the device switched off on its own.

By then, Ron was staggering out to the bushes, looking a little chagrinned, and eyed the man in the road. Walking over, he leaned down to study him, grabbed his short ponytail, and slammed his head down. Twice.

"Nah, he's not waking up," he declared.

It was only then that the fashion-conscious teen realized that Ron's usually bland, brown eyes were glowing a very bright blue.

Even as she looked, the blue faded, fluttered, and was gone.

"Gotta love mystical monkey power," he said somberly. "You know, when it actually works," he added with a customary grimace. "C'mon, I gotta get home. They might already be at my house," he said anxiously now as he grabbed her hand, and ran.

"Shouldn't I go home first?"

"No. If they've seen you with me, they might be waiting for you."

"Snap!"

Ron all but burst into his house, relieved to see his parents' cars in the driveway, but nothing else out of place. He thought about all that could, or might yet happen, and shoved the door open to find his sister gurgling happily in the living room.

Atop a pile of three unconscious men in casual garments. Nearby, a small collection of lethal knives and clubs lay as if haphazardly tossed aside. His parents sat on the couch, clinging to one another, staring at Hana, and not even blinking.

"Ronald," his father exclaimed as he came in the door. "Have you been teaching your sister those….tricks of yours?"

"My….tricks," he said, eyeing Hana who only smiled toothily up at him.

"Boom, bang," she shouted, and jumped up, somersaulted, and landed on the back of a man's head starting to groan as he began to come around.

He was unconscious before he could even regain his senses as the young toddler slammed his head into the floor, bouncing it off the hard wood.

"Bang," Hana shouted again, and giggled as she toddled over, and stretched her arms up to Ron.

"Eh. Yeah. Tricks," Ron stammered. "Mom. Dad. We have a problem."

"I think they know that, Ron," Monique gaped. "But….how did your sister….do that?"

Ron blushed, and looked for someone to supply an answer he couldn't quite give himself just then.

Sure, he'd seen her walk on walls, and ceilings. Sure, she knew a few cute tricks that had, at first, surprised him. But taking out seriously armed, seriously bad guys without a sweat.

"Guess being a ninja runs in the family," he smiled helplessly as he scooped his sister up, and she snuggled happily in arms.

"Well, I'm calling the police. Armed thugs are not suitable play partners for your innocent little sister," his mother declared, finally coming back to life.

"Yeah, about that? I think more may be coming. It may be time to dust off that old home security device that Kim's brothers gave us."

"Is it really that bad, Ronald," his dad asked as his mother fumbled with the phone.

"Yeah. The guys that killed the Possibles? They're after us now."

His father all but ran for the garage.

Hana only laughed.

_To Be Continued…_

_**AN: **__While set after 'Stop Team Go,' this takes place before 'Oh No, YoNo!'_


	12. Chapter 12

_I do not own the characters named herein from either Disney, or D.C., and am only using them for a tale meant for entertainment purposes only._

**Kim Possible: Sacrifices**

**By LJ58**

**12**

Kim walked into the cave after changing on the way down, and froze when he realized it wasn't empty. Nor was it Bruce standing there in a dark costume as stopped, and realized a stranger was talking to Alfred.

"…..really need to see…..Bruce," the tall stranger in a black, form-fitting suit with a birdlike motif was saying as he paused, turned to frown at her, and asked in a lower voice. "I thought Barb quit."

Alfred barely glanced at her, in full costume as Bruce insisted when in the cave now, and merely drawled, "That is not your former companion, sir. That is….someone else."

"I didn't think _he_ was taking new partners."

"I rather doubt he…..conscripted this one. She simply showed up, and added herself to the master's extracurricular activities. Much like someone else, as I recall."

The man eyed Kim again, and shook his head.

"Still, isn't she kind of young….?"

Alfred didn't bat an eye.

Kim, as Vixen, walked forward, and stood before him, eyeing him up, and down.

"You look like someone I should know. Have we met?"

"Well…"

"My mistake. All you pretty-boys look alike," Kim scoffed. "Alfred, I'm going out. I've got something I need to check on," she said, touching something on her gauntlet as she spoke.

"As you wish, Miss. I shall inform the master when he checks in," he replied as blandly as ever.

"Good. Thank you."

She glared at the costumed stranger, and then walked over to the side of a chasm, and jumped.

"Hey!"

Even as he watched, the girl vanished, then the sound of muted turbines sounded, and he noted the access hatch for the Batwing opened, but he saw nothing leaving. Or entering. Just a rush of wind, and the faint hum of engines from an unseen vehicle.

"What was that," Dick, as Nightwing exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, Master Dick," Alfred told him. "It's really not my place to say."

"Does she have something to do with that Possible girl Bruce took in," he asked curtly.

"As I said, sir….."

"Fine. Fine. I swear, sometimes you can be as bad as….."

"Alfred," a curt tone sounded over the computer's radio link just then. "I need you to run a search for me. Now."

"As you wish, sir," he replied after walking over to answer. "And what has attracted your attention tonight?"

"Check out any links between Sheldon Director, Ra's, and Janus, Industries. That name kept coming up, and I am beginning to suspect it has something to do with Ra's," the Bat's voice growled. "Has Vixen come in yet?"

"Yes, sir. She just left. Something about an errand."

"I see."

"And by the way, Master Dick stopped by….."

"Batman," Dick cut in. "Nightwing. I've had a lot of activity with gangs over in Bludhaven of late. Only they aren't fighting. They're organizing. I thought you might know what was going on, but now Alfred just mentioned….."

"Yes. _He's_ in play again. I thought we would have more time after his last bit of folly. Apparently, not."

"So, who's this Director character."

"The man that arranged for the murder of the Possibles."

"And the girl with the attitude that just took off out of here in an invisible…..something?"

"Need to know," the Bat shot back. "Right now, no one needs to know."

"Right," Nightwing murmured as he shook his head. "So, business as usual? What about those gangs?"

"Another piece of the puzzle. We've been trying to figure out what Ra's is up to, and it looks like all the area gangs have been organizing here, too. Check with your friends. See if other cities have area gangs behaving atypically, too? This could be one part of a greater plan knowing these madmen."

"I'll get…on it," he sighed, the channel already closed.

"He hasn't changed much, has he," he complained to Alfred.

"Did you really expect change, sir," Alfred asked dryly.

"Right," he sighed. "So, he's really keeping his cousin here?"

"For the moment. She has a penchant for going her own way, though."

"I've heard. When I checked up on her, I couldn't believe what I found. No wonder someone targeted her."

"I suspect there is something more than her heroic diversions involved. As does Master Bruce," Alfred admitted.

"It's not connected…."

"That has yet to be discerned. You'll have to ask the master of that."

"So, where is she now? Or do I already know," Nightwing asked.

"I believe she's likely just left school by this hour. Given her usual routine, she is likely 'hanging out,' as the kids say."

"Not in a while, Alfred."

"Well, slang is not really my forte," the man drawled. "Now, I've work to attend. The young lady is much like you were, Master Dick. She doesn't know what cleanliness is, either," he complained blandly.

Dick tried not to smile as Alfred simply turned, and walked away.

He didn't fool him for a minute, though. The old faker liked having someone to clean up after. Bruce was so rarely around, he knew there was never much for him to do. Alfred was just a doer, and he wasn't happy unless he did have something to do, or someone to take care of.

Still, knowing Possible's reputation after that web-search on her, was she really just…..hanging out?

He considered the masked girl, and the invisible vehicle, and shook his head.

Wasn't her style, he knew from studying her web site, which was pretty inclusive so far as he could tell. Then again, Bruce had a way of molding people around him.

But if they wanted to play mysterious…..?

Well, that was Bruce's style, too.

Walking over to the computer, he first contacted Kid Flash, then sent a message to Victor. Only then did he bother calling the Big Capes via the League, and asked if they had noticed anything. Because if Ra's was involved with anyone, or anything, he knew it was going to end up being a global threat. That man was nothing, if not consistent.

On impulse, he went back to the inventory, and checked the recent vehicle maintenance records, and status.

Batman had nothing that could explain the invisible craft that had flown out of that chasm. So, who, and what was it? Really?

**KP**

Kim was about to leave class when she heard three of the boys behind her talking.

"I'm telling you, the Dragons are recruiting, and they are paying, dudes," someone was telling his companions. "Hard cash."

"You mean the Golden Dragons? I thought they were all Asian hardcore types. Not community employer types," someone commented.

"Maybe they decided to get with the program, and bring in locals? Who cares," the voice went on. "They are paying cash," the boy stressed. "I made five hundred just last night."

"For what," someone asked. "I don't want no trouble. You know the Bat is all over these guys all the time?"

"The head guys, maybe. But all we're doing is unloading barges, and distributing the goods."

"What goods? I ain't doing drug crap," the same boy complained. "No matter what it pays."

"No drugs. Don't know what it is, but it ain't drugs. Heavy boxes, and lots of them, and that's why they need extra bodies. They need them shipped all over town."

"Why?"

"Don't matter. I don't care. It pays, dude. You been trying to save up for that car, ain'tcha? So, here's your chance. It's real cash, dude."

"Count me in," the third boy finally added. "Hell, my old man ain't gonna help me even pay for college. I gotta get some extra green, or I'm stuck frying dead cows for life."

"How 'bout you, Jake?"

The second boy sighed heavily.

"I don't know….."

"You wuss. C'mon. No one will bother you. We're just unloading boxes, and delivering them. The Bat won't even be around. Let's go."

"Where," the boy finally asked.

"Dock Nine. Four sharp. You in, or out? Guaranteed cash, bro," the first boy grinned.

"I'll…..think about it."

"You're in, or your out," the first boy spat. "But you rat, and you're dead. Got that? Dragons don't play."

"Screw it. I'm out. I've got a scholarship anyway," the boy said, stalking off.

"Yeah," the spokesman sneered. "See how far that gets you."

"I'm in. Let's go," the other said.

"Hold on. Possible, what did you hear," the big boy from the back of the class demanded as he stopped beside her, roughly grabbing her shoulder to shake her where she had been sitting, just staring out the window.

"Huh? What," she mumbled, looking as if she had just woke up.

"Forget her," the other boy at his side sneered. "She's still messed up from her fam getting whacked.

"I saw her fight a few days ago. She didn't look messed up."

Kim stared at him.

"What are you talking about? Are you following me," she asked coldly, rising to her feet after shaking his hand off.

"Never mind," the third boy told her. "Roy was inviting us to a party after school. How about you? Up to it?"

"I don't party," she muttered, and reached for her backpack. "Especially not with Neanderthals," she huffed.

"I don't think she was even paying attention to us," the boy said as all three walked out one direction, and she went the other.

"Maybe. Better keep an eye on her. Just in case she tries any of that hero crap."

"Her? Like I said, she's messed up. I didn't see her fight, but I heard that green woman kicked her butt."

"I was there. It was close. Real close."

Kim was out of range of their voices after that, but she was already moving faster.

She opened her Kimmunicator band, activated her Roth, and arranged for it to fly cloaked to her position. She had, at least, talked Alfred out of picking her up with the Rolls of late. That was an attention magnet she didn't really like.

She usually walked, or just took a bus out to the manor.

Today, she was in more of a hurry.

Only when she arrived at home, Bruce wasn't around, and Alfred with some new guy in a mask.

Not sure if he was the trustworthy type, even if he was in the cave, she put a wall, and just kept the guy from getting too personal. Frankly, she had trouble with guys anyway. Ron was an exception, and after all her issues with dating, and other complications, she wasn't ready to change her current standing.

Ron.

She was going to have to talk to him, again, too. Things had gotten way past complicated, and of late, she just didn't feel…..anything any more.

It didn't help that her entire life had been bulldozed.

Or that she had not seen her best friend since forever since that night she went ballistic on him.

She shoved those thoughts aside, and chose to focus on her current mission.

Putting even the pretty-boy from her mind, she drew the Roth in, still cloaked, into the cave since Batman was still away. She jumped in, and took off, not giving anything else but Dock Nine her consideration.

"Go," the Bat's low growl sounded when she opened his channel.

"It's Vixen. I'm headed for the Docks. Dock Nine."

"Why," he demanded.

"I overheard something interesting in class."

"Could be a trap," he immediately pointed out.

"More than possible, no pun intended," she added curtly. "I overheard three boys talking about the Golden Dragons hiring muscle to unload barges, and deliver _mystery_ crates throughout the city. They might have been testing me, but it won't be Kim Possible that shows up either way. Still….."

"If Ra's and Gemini are behind the gangs organizing, this may be a lead. Observe only. I'm on my way. We want to see where these crates are going."

"Understood. I'm cloaked, and I'll stay that way. Call when you arrive, or you won't see me."

The Bat said nothing, but the channel was closed anyway as Vixen flew low over the city, headed for the city docks.

She dropped down behind several piles of huge shipping containers, and climbed out of the car, her own battle-suit now cloaking her, and stayed low all the same as she moved to a position overhead where she could see, and hear the more than fifteen teens gathered at a dock where a long, but only half-loaded barge was just nudging the docks.

Behind them, in the shadows, five men in gang colors were watching with automatic weapons at the ready.

Her IFR scanner in the visor picked out two more bodies on nearby rooftops, both holding sniper rifles.

She noted the location of every body, and sent the feed directly to the Roth's onboard AI to transmit to the Batman. She moved lower, and listened long enough that she knew the gang members weren't talking.

Not a word.

She glanced back when she was three trucks rumbling down the narrow drive lined by crates, and containers, and saw more older teens behind the wheels.

Likely, she now guessed, to keep anyone from guessing this was a gang operation.

"'Bout time you got here," the boy from class demanded even as the stacks of crates on the dock grew as the boys set to unloading quickly, and without debate. "You're behind schedule."

"Pileup down on the interchange," the first driver complained, jumping out to open the back. "We had to wait for them to clear it."

"Never mind. Let's get these boxes loaded, and out of here, before someone notices us."

"No one's gonna notice us," the driver smirked. "We've been doing this for weeks. We're under everyone's radar. Even the Bat don't know about us."

"Don't mention him," one of the gang members spoke now. "To mention that devil, is to draw his gaze."

"Superstitious, much," the older teen laughed.

"He's right," the boy from class said. "They say that guy ain't human. Who knows what he can really do?"

"He's human," someone else sniffed. "I seen him almost killed once. He's not so tough."

"Silence," the gang member spat. "Do your job, and say no more."

"Whatever," the boy obviously filled with bravado huffed.

"Let's just do the job, and get gone," the second driver complained. "JoJo's right. We are behind schedule."

Kim waited until the first truck was about to pull out, and pointed her left arm at the canvas cover of the old cargo truck. Her Kimmunicator loaded the pneumatic dart armed with a tracker, and fired it from her vantage point.

She eyed her Kimmunicator, and noted the faint dot glowing on a GPS grid she brought up, and nodded. Arming another dart, she fired a second tracker.

She was about to arm a third when a voice crackled in her ear.

"I'm here."

Whispering softly, she told him her location, and what she had done.

"Tag the truck, just in case, but we're intercepting it. The first two can deliver, and lead us to their destinations. We need to know what they're delivering, though. Be ready to move."

"Truck's tagged," she growled. "I've got the driver," she side, standing up, and racing for the edge of the roof even as the driver was climbing into the cab of the last truck as a teen shut the back of the cargo truck.

"I'm….taking the snipers now. Be wary of the….."

"On it," she said, and jumped.

The driver was just settling into the seat when something slammed into the hood of his truck.

"What the hell?"

"The Bat," someone shouted, looking around even as one of the nearby men fired at something, but they saw only shadows in the setting sun.

"No," Vixen growled, dropping her cloak, and staring through the windshield at the man, going for shock. "I'm worse," she said, and smashed her gloved hand through the glass, grabbed the man, and flung him out of the truck.

The surviving guards were shouting for backup even as they came running, and the teens scattered like roaches, several diving into the water to try to escape.

Kim jumped over the truck, dropped both feet into the nearest teen trying to run, and noticed it was Roy. The boy from class recruiting his friends.

She dropped him quickly with a combination, and left him as she somersaulted into the open truck, and saw only one teen between her, and the stack of crates.

"You…. You're not…. Batman. Who are you," he wailed, not even trying to fight.

"You're worst nightmare," she growled, and knocked him senseless by slamming his head into a nearby crate.

"Nice line," the Bat grumbled as he climbed into the truck behind her.

"I was about to check….. Whoa," she said, eyeing the crate she had just pulled open with a slight amping of her muscles to give her a grip that could pull off the wooden cover.

Nails creaked, and wood splintered, and then they were staring down into a box filled with gleaming, black steel.

"Those are military," the Batman said coolly. "Experimental ordinance."

"I've seen them before," Vixen admitted. "Blue lasers. They fire high intensity bursts that cut…..anything."

"Who had them," she was asked. Although the words were more demand than query.

"Army officers, in the _real_ Area 51."

The Batman's jaw clenched.

"And now they're here? I don't see that as coincidence. Someone is selling them."

"Someone inside," Vixen agreed.

"We need to check….."

"I have an idea," she told him. "If you don't mind me calling Wade for this one?"

"Follow through. Then meet me at the first truck's coordinates. I'm going to track it."

"What aobut the….."

"The police are inbound. They'll pick up the rable," he growled, and launched himself out of the truck after tucking one of the sidearms into his belt.

On impulse, she took one herself, and then went stealth again even as the first police cars came screaming up.

Even as she fired her grapple to carry her up to the roof, and back to the Roth, she heard a detective complain loudly, "Let me guess, the stinkin' Bat?"

She smirked at that, and kept going.

"Wade," she called once back in the Roth.

"Kim," he asked uncertainly.

She pulled back her mask, the Roth still cloaked anyway, and nodded. "I need a favor, Wade. It's big."

"Uh, does _he_ know?"

"He knows. We just intercepted a shipment of military-grade blue lasers. They're being shipped through area gangs. I've got a serial number from one, but see if you can find out how they're getting out here. The last time I saw any of these….."

"I know," he nodded. "They weren't supposed to even be in production yet. Certainly not outside of….that place," he said, not even mentioning the name of the very real, top secret military research center.

"Find out. It looks like it may be a big part of this puzzle."

"I'm on it, Kim. You know you can still count on me," he told her.

"Wade. For now, call me Vixen," she told him. "Kim Possible is still incognito."

"Uh, right, Ki…. Vixen. Right," he said as she watched him pull her mask back on before the picture on his monitor switched off.

Kim adjusted her visor again, and then started the Roth, easily pinging the first two signals, and following the first.

"I'm moving," she reported through Batman's frequency.

"You have the first signal?"

"I'm flying toward it now."

"The second?"

"Headed west, toward...looks like Bludhaven."

"Nightwing was asking about gang activity earlier," he remarked.

"Nightwing, huh? That was the pretty-boy in the cave?"

"A….former acquaintance. He can be trusted."

"I've learned _not_ to trust pretty-boys," Kim scowled.

Batman said nothing to that.

"I'll call him. Tell him what we've found so far. He can track the second truck when it reaches Bludhaven."

"Your call," she said. "I just want Gemini."

Batman said nothing to that, either.

_To Be Continued….._


	13. Chapter 13

_I do not own the characters named herein from either Disney, or D.C., and am only using them for a tale meant for entertainment purposes only._

**Kim Possible: Sacrifices**

**By LJ58**

**13**

"Anything," Dr. Director demanded as Will came into her office several days after he first started the hunt for Sheldon Director, AKA Gemini.

"Nothing definite. However, all indications suggest he is in the American Northeast. Somewhere near….."

"Gotham City," the senior agent growled.

"That would have been my guess," Will Du nodded in agreement. "There is more."

"What?"

"General Deakes reported that someone managed to break into…..his command. Five thousand prototype blue lasers were stolen. He doesn't know when. The theft was apparently covered up by replacing the weapons with very accurate replicas."

Dr. Director did frown now.

"Who could have pulled that off? Obviously, they had inside help, but still….."

"Obviously. Only we have no idea who, as yet, or even why."

"Five thousand blue lasers," Betty Director grimaced. "That's a lot of dangerous ordinance in the wrong hands," she fumed. "When the last time he checked inventory? Personally checked?"

"He said the last time he knew the weapons were in place was three months past. A recent weapons' test uncovered the replicas only recently."

"Three months. Just about the time of the strike against the Possibles," she murmured.

"You think it's connected?"

"It's connected," a painfully familiar voice cut in.

"Wade," she hissed at the face on her monitor. "You'd better one seriously good reason for…."

"Kim just uncovered blue lasers being shipped to area gangs. Gangs being reorganized by mystery figures all along the East Coast. She now has evidence they're also being armed with these new weapons. This man was the last man to personally check those weapons, and clear them in inventory. Look familiar?"

"Francis Lucre," Will frowned. "He's not even in the military. Let alone cleared for….."

"He was using the name Tobias White. A legitimate soldier who has since disappeared," Wade reported. "Dr. Director, if Kim is right, someone is gearing up for a major assault using these gangs. She's….investigating that angle now, but if even half those weapons are already out there….."

"It'll be a slaughter," Betty realized. "Will, alert the AG, and every major law enforcement agency in the region. We have to hit all known gangs now, and try to catch them off-guard."

"I'll alert our area strike teams," Will nodded.

"Go. Whatever is happening, we have to neutralize this threat before we end up with mass causalities."

"One more thing, Dr. Director. There's been movement in Middleton. Someone is definitely still trying to hurt Kim's friends," Wade told her.

"I've already dispatched a new team. They'll be there in…..two hours," she told him. "Try to hold on."

"I'll let Ron know," he nodded, and her screen went blank.

"I'm really going to have to recruit him," she frowned, staring at her now dark computer screen that should have been hacker-proof after their last upgrades.

**KP**

"The _Bat_," someone shouted, even as lasers cut through the air when the grim shadow burst into the safe house, and went straight for the armed bangers first.

Even as he did, three men with automatic weapons fell without cause.

As a fourth fell, his own weapon a gleaming, black laser rose into the air, and was snapped in half, releasing a faint burst of light as the pieces flew in opposite directions.

"What the hell is that? What is that," a teen who had been below helping stack boxes in the basement howled. He had come up just in time to see the attack.

"You damn fools," a gang member spat at one of the teens. "You led him right to us," he complained, taking aim not at the caped hero, but at the teen just standing, and gaping.

The teen protested vehemently, trying to back away, and then the gunman was suddenly flying backwards, howling as something slammed into hard enough to all but break ribs. He bounced off the far wall, well over ten feet in the air, and slid down, unconscious.

"What is that," someone shouted in fear. "What is that?"

As if on cue, Vixen materialized, reaching for the last gunman as she grabbed hand, and weapon as one, and growled, "I'd let go."

The man howled in pain as her hand clamped down, and his bones started audibly cracking.

He let go, and the pistol he held simply crumpled in her powered-up grip.

"This is where I ask a single question," she said, grabbing the wounded gunman. "And you answer it."

"I will tell you nothing," the obviously Chinese thug spat.

"No?"

"No," he swore as Batman ignored the whimpering teen still standing in the door to the basement, and walked up behind her.

"I think you will. Where…..is…..Ra's al Ghul," she demanded, and clamped her free hand around his throat. "I'd talk. While you still have breath," she said coldly as her hand tightened just enough to turn his dark features all but florid.

The man shook his head vehemently.

"Where," she growled.

The man shook his head again.

Kim all but growled, and Batman put a gloved hand on her shoulder.

"Maybe you need time to think about it," she said, and pointed her hand at a window.

The teen gaped as the ghost-girl flew out the window, easily carrying the man with her, and his howl of pain was audible as she let him take most of the impact with the glass.

Batman turned to face the gasping teen.

"I suppose that leaves you," he said coolly.

"I….. I…. I give up," he whimpered, hands thrown high.

"Smart. Now, talk. Where else are these laser weapons going?"

"Lasers?" he blinked. "You mean, the boxes? They're…..carrying…..?"

"_Where_," Batman growled.

The teen talked when the gloved hand reached for his throat.

**KP**

"Learn anything?"

"Someone's afraid of heights," Kim shrugged, looking down at the thug dangling limp at the end of her cable. "He passed out when I dropped him. I'm waiting for him to come around."

"You could have crushed his trachea."

"No. I was in control," he was assured. "I just juiced my grip on that gun to give him the idea of what I _might_ do. Like you said, his own fear did the rest. Guy isn't as gutsy as he likes to think. He's already wet himself," she sniffed in disgust. "He'll talk when he wakes up."

Batman nodded.

"Alfred told me your friend said that Global Justice is uniting with area law enforcement up and down the coast to check out any strongholds for more stashes. Late, but timely."

"I put Wade on them. He can be helpful."

"No doubt. So long as he stays out of my cave," the cowled detective added.

"Yeah, he can be nosy, too," Kim admitted.

Below the roof where she knelt, a man moaned restlessly.

"Sounds like my cue," Kim murmured, and looked down. "Do me a favor. Stay back. I'm playing this guy, but…..just trust me."

"I do," Vixen was told. "It's the only reason you're here."

Kim nodded, and went over the side on her grapple.

The man slowly opened his eyes, lids fluttering, and then stared abruptly as he realized Vixen dangled before him, right side up, while he remained upside down.

"If you would like to live long enough for the Bat to break your bones, and drag you to jail, you'll start talking. He'll beat you. Break your bones. I'll rip out your throat, and let you fall. Either you prove you have value to me, or I discard you. Your choice. Make it."

"He….. He is in _Metropolis_! He is preparing to expand into that city!"

"Then who is running Gotham's arming now? Who," she demanded, fingers curling lightly around his throat.

"Gemini! Gotham was left in WEE's hands!"

Kim felt a dark rage rising in her.

"Where….is…..he," she demanded.

"Old Gotham. He's in Old Gotham. The Russians are hiding him. He don't trust no one else. He's nuts," the man babbled. "Keep talking about little girls, and beating up his _sister_. Weird crap."

"You are certain Ra's has gone to Metropolis," she demanded.

"Yes, I swear! Let me down! I told you the truth!"

"And Gemini is in Old Gotham?"

"Yes! Yes!"

"You hear all that," Vixen asked as another shadow loomed over the precipice to look down into the thug's bright eyes.

"Every word. Let's go."

"Wait," the man howled as Batman, and Vixen both leapt out into the night.

**KP**

Gemini eyed the men around him, muttering softly to himself as his beloved Pepe snoozed nearby.

He scowled as the mostly burly, angry men stomped around, keeping his restless pet from truly resting. Even Ra's men had more grace. More manners.

These men reeked, and they had no professionalism at all.

Still, for now, they were allies, because Hench's hired lackeys could not go into Gotham. At least, not yet.

"Any report," he demanded.

"Lucre has vanished. We assume he's laying low after he managed to smuggle out the weapons we needed," one of the men with a name he couldn't pronounce told him. "The immortal is in Metropolis, but is moving carefully so as to not draw the wrong attention until he is ready to act."

Gemini nodded, and glanced around the gloomy room he sat in, mentally reviewing all his own plans.

So far, things had gone perfectly.

The weapons were found, stolen, and were now being dispatched. Possible was neutralized, his sister on notice, and Middleton's so-called heroes knew to lay low, and stop interfering. Now, with the master assassin nearly ready to unleash his latest ploy to gain victory over his own enemies, all he could see was the chance to move, and finally finish Possible once, and for all.

Because that was his plan. His only goal.

He was so close now. He chafed at the delay, but when she vanished into Gotham, he had to follow. It didn't help when Shego muddied the waters, but true to form, that willful creature didn't even finish her. Her indolence, and mercenary ways gave Possible the time she needed to escape, and turn the tables on her.

Again.

Gemini, however, would not make that mistake.

He was going to finish the job personally, and ensure that his sister had not protégé, and no one left to carry on her disgusting, and obviously inferior organization. Then, even Betty would have to admit that Gemini, and WEE, had outclassed, and outmatched her once, and for all.

He smiled at his defining moment, as he imagined it.

Even now, she was still stumbling about blinding, ignorant of the threats around her.

He heard Pepe whimper, and glanced over, about to berate one of the Russians who likely disturbed his pet again, but frowned as he noted the little dog was sitting up, ears twitching, as he seemed to be looking at something only he could see.

"Pepe," he frowned.

The little dog shivered, and then suddenly rose into the air.

"Pepe," he shouted, even as two of his men yelped, and were somehow dragged out the door into the shadows beyond.

"What the…..?"

The man shouting was cut off as a shadow flew through the door, landing hard on him.

Gemini paid him no heed as he walked to where Pepe was floating just a few feet from his bed as if hanging by a wire.

Then he heard men cursing, and guns being cocked as that shadow over the fallen man rose, and Gemini's good eye rounded as he saw the vague silhouette standing before him.

"The Bat," someone shouted. "Shoot him! Kill him!"

Gemini glanced away from Pepe for only a moment as the hail of lead rained onto the men's targets as more Russians came running. Only the costumed clown wasn't fallling. He was jumping, and rolling, and moving so fast he seemed to evade injury even as men fell without apparent cause each time his hands moved.

He glanced back to Pepe when the little Chihuahua yelped, but didn't see him.

He swore, looking around, but there was no sign of the animal.

"If one of you hurt my Pepe," he growled, his brows beetling ominously as he raised his right hand, and his good right eye focused around him as he prepared to fire missiles form his robotic hand at anyone he felt dared trespass.

Only four of the dozen men were still conscious.

And the Bat.

Then someone whispered, "Look up."

He did instinctively, and saw his terrified pet falling as if he had been thrown into the air.

He rushed forward, hands outstretched, and ran right into an unseen barrier that knocked him backwards.

"Pepe! _No!"_

The animal yelped as it landed not on the unforgiving ground, but in midair, as if once more supported by something unseen.

It couldn't be.

"Who are you," he hissed, climbing back to his feet after he had gone sprawling, fearing the worst for his pet.

The air shimmered, a dark figure with a strange visor covering a masked face stared down at him, Pepe held in one hand.

"I have some questions. You're going to answer them," the female said in so cold a tone that Gemini felt as if the air had suddenly dropped below freezing.

Behind her, the Bat dropped another gunman, and was moving to the last three as if heedless of the intense gunfire, and showing no indication he had ever been hit.

"Who are you," Gemini hissed. "How dare you…..?"

Pepe went up again, and Gemini's eyes rose to track him.

He never saw the fist that slammed into his squared jaw, and sent him flying hard enough to crack the paneling of the wall he struck. Pepe yelped when he was caught again, and the masked woman stepped toward him.

Gemini cursed, and raised his metal hand, and suddenly she was there, crushing, and tearing his robotic appendage from his wrist with one hand, even while still holding Pepe in the other.

"Imagine if I closed my hand on your little rodent," she snarled.

"No," Gemini rasped, his eye locked on the animal.

"Ready to talk?"

"What do you want to know?"

"Ra's plan. Tell me everything."

He swallowed hard, and shook his head.

"It won't help you. He's already won. You just don't know it."

"No. He hasn't," she denied, her left hand closing around the little dog's body, making it whimper.

"No! No! He has gone to Metropolis just to distract the Big Capes, so they won't interfere when he launched the attacks."

"What attacks? What is the plan," Vixen demanded. "Talk," she barked.

"The gangs attack the local precincts in the major cities, and with the Capes distracted, no one will ever see the missiles he has ready to launch that will cover the entire nation in a neuro-toxin. Anyone that survives will be too ill to stop what follows. And they'll be impotent. No more new generations. No more no one to _poison_ this nation. America will once more become a pristine, natural land."

"And you, and Ra's?"

"We…naturally, have the anti-toxin. Only a few will survive, and we will rule the few surivvors, and help rebuild this country according to greater standards," Gemini smiled. "You see. Genius. And even my sister can't help you now. Or her pathetic protégé."

"You speak of Kim Possible," the woman drawled. "You were behind the attack on her family. You had the Possibles killed?"

"She was supposed to die. And she will soon. Then my witless, defiant sister will have no one left to continue that abhorrent mistake she created. And only WEE will reign supreme!"

"In the shadow of the League of Assassins," the Bat growled, stepping up beside Vixen.

"No. Only WEE," Gemini smirked. "Once America is dealt with, he'll go tend to the other witless nations that defy him. Whatever isn't already affected by the residual toxins in the air. America, however, will be mine," he mocked.

"No," Vixen spat, carelessly tossing Pepe aside to reach for him. "It won't."

Gemini yelped, and dangled from the small woman's impossibly strong grip as her right hand fisted, and seemed to all but glow with power.

"Who are you," he spat. "What do you want?"

"Your _head._ On my mantle," she spat, and drew back her fist.

"Vixen," Batman murmured as Gemini struggled to free himself from her grip in vain. With one hand, and no help, all he could do was wriggle.

"Are you going to say I shouldn't," she demanded hotly, not even looking back.

"I'm more than familiar with the impulse you're feeling. I know you would be justified. The question is, though, is this the kind of _legacy_ you want to build?"

Gemini stared in genuine fear at that glowing fist that clenched so hard it seemed to shake.

Then, the fist slammed into the wall next to his left ear, smashing through paneling, brick, and more, and then she shoved him aside.

"You get all that," she growled at someone she had obviously contacted.

"Yes," a woman in blue with a patch over right eye said as she, and six agent walked into the old house that was Gemini's current hideout. "You are going back to jail Gemini. I don't think you'll make parole this time. Not this time."

Vixen stepped back, and eyed him as he swore hotly as two agents deftly cuffed, and led him past her.

"If you get out, I'll be waiting. Next time, I take your head."

"Who are you," he sputtered.

_"Vixen,"_ she hissed, and leapt straight up into the shadows, and kept going.

Betty turned toward the shadow of the grim vigilante she was stunned to see waiting when they got the tip her brother was located, and found him gone, too.

"Ma'am, was that really….?"

"Yes. The Bat. Obviously far more real than anyone has realized."

"So….who was the...super-girl?"

Betty shook her head.

"I don't know. Get a team in here to mop up. Find out if any more of those weapons are around. And get me Washington. From what Wade tipped us to via his frequency patch, we have some missiles to find!"

_To Be Continued…_


	14. Chapter 14

_I do not own the characters named herein from either Disney, or D.C., and am only using them for a tale meant for entertainment purposes only._

**Kim Possible: Sacrifices**

**By LJ58**

**14**

"We have to find those missiles," Kim called from her Roth as she followed the Batwing.

"Our best chance is to find Ra's. I'm going to Metropolis to contact…..friends. I need you to stay here, stay visible, and keep things under control. The last thing we need is for someone to start thinking Vixen, and Kim Possible may be one and the same."

"Because it puts an unwelcome light on you," she guessed.

"I'm more worried about you. Ra's is going to know Vixen was instrumental in shutting down much of his operation here. He doesn't need to know who is behind her mask. Neither does your Global Justice friend who was obviously tipped to be in place."

"Wade called. Warned me she was moving. I let him record Gemini's confession, and transmit it to her channel, giving him the credit for contacting Gotham's notorious vigilantes."

"That's a dangerous play."

"I also have a holo-Kim at the manor with Alfred, making it seem I was there all evening jogging on your grounds."

"Clever."

"I thought so. I'm still worried about Ron. Wade said assassins were definitely in Middleton….. The Science Center," she realized. "He could load, and launch rocket right over the nation without anyone paying them any attention," she guessed.

"So, maybe your entire family were purposely targeted all along," Batman suggested. "Which means, Ra's al Ghul may have only co-opted Gemini to further his own goals."

"From what you've told me of him, it's entirely possible. Not that it excuses Gemini. Call your friends. I'll head back to the manor, and check in with Wade."

"Vixen, stay out of this one. Leave it to me."

"But…."

"You can't paint another target on you. Remember, they know where your mother is already. Don't give them more incentive to try reaching her. I can handle this now that I know what to look for."

Kim sighed, and considered that moment when she held Gemini in front of her.

"All right. I'll be at the manor. Good luck."

"What we do isn't about luck," he growled over the radio.

The Batwing banked, and seemed to accelerate faster than ever, rising higher as it turned southwest toward Metropolis.

Part of her was envious.

Another part of her just wanted to go home, and find out everything was a dream.

Even if she knew it wasn't.

Maybe, she decided, it was time to visit her mother.

First, she had better tip Wade to the possibility that the League might be after the rockets at the Science Center. Just in case.

**KP**

Shego yawned, sat upright in her chair, and stared.

She found bleary, blue eyes staring back.

"Ann?"

The woman blinked, but didn't try to speak. She just stared.

Shego moved to the side of the bed, and smiled.

"How are you feeling," she smiled. "Do you need something? Anything?"

"Who 'ou," she slurred around the tube in her mouth.

"It's Shego. Remember? Kim sent me to guard you."

"'Ard me," she echoed.

"Do you remember the accident," she asked carefully.

"As'den'," the redhead frowned.

"There was….an accident. You've been in a coma. Almost six months," she said. "We were worried about you," she smiled, taking the pale hand.

"Six monfs," she slurred.

Shego nodded.

"'Ou….S'go?"

"Yes," Shego nodded.

"Who's Kim," she asked.

Shego felt as she were kicked right in the teeth.

**KP**

Betty Director stood in the holding cell, and never had she wanted to hurt someone so badly as her idiot brother.

"What were you thinking," she spat, staring at him, and never, never truly hating what he did like she did now.

Sheldon looked up at her from between the bars, and sneered.

"I was thinking I would _finally_ crush you under my heel. Without that redheaded nuisance, you would have no one to back you. No one to rely on. No one who can take over….."

"I have an entire team of very good agents. Any of whom could step in, and keep Global Justice going even if I disappeared," she told him curtly. "Possible was just one cog. One agent. She was also a friend. Something you never have understood."

Sheldon sneered.

"Just tell me you saved Pepe," he demanded.

"Your dog? It's at the vet. Not expected to make it, I understand," she said bluntly.

"What? No! You have to….."

"I don't have to do anything," she shot back. "I might…. Might!... Be persuaded to try helping if you tell me where those missiles are. No negotiations. No stalling. No tricks. Or, I promise you, I'll see that little vermin you're so fond us doesn't make it."

Sheldon stared at her.

"That….is a promise," Betty Director told him so coldly that he believed her.

"Middleton. Al Ghul's men are going to hijack the missiles kept there, and replace their payloads with his viral toxins," he said unnaturally quiet. "Now, save Pepe."

Betty eyed him, then murmured, "I'll see what I can do."

"Just tell me one thing," he jumped up, grabbing the bars. "Who was that woman? That….Vixen? Is she one of yours? A new agent?"

"No. She's not. I wish she was," Betty told him. "Just as I almost wish she had _finished_ the job."

"F-Finished," Sheldon stammered. "Betty, you don't mean….."

"Next time, I'll finish it," Betty told him. "So I suggest you be very quiet, and behave."

"What about Pepe," he howled as she turned, nodded at the four guards posted on his holding cell, and nodded curtly before walking away without answering.

Returning to her office, she glared at the yapping little beast in the dog carrier, and resisted the urge to twist its neck.

The way Sheldon had twisted Miss Kitty's neck almost off all those years ago.

"Agent Du, get all our best to Middleton," she called through her intercom.

"We already have two strike teams inbound to support…."

"The missiles are in Middleton, Will. We can't let them launch."

"Understood," he replied quickly. "I'll lead four more teams myself. While I am loathe to admit it, it might be a good idea to call Stoppable. And….perhaps Possible?"

"I'll try. The last time I sent someone to check on her, though, she was still…..unresponsive."

"Understood. I'll do what we can, but even I have to admit we might need help. The League of Assassins are some of the worst out there."

"I know, Will. Do what you can."

"Right."

"And get someone in here to take this animal to my mother's. I'm about ready to shoot it into space just now," she admitted.

"I'll send someone in right away," Will remarked as blandly as ever.

**KP**

Kim sat on the back step, staring across the wide yard when a GJ VTOL settled to the ground just beyond the manor, drawing Alfred who seemed to have an eye on everything going on around him without exception.

"Friends of yours, Miss Possible," he asked dryly as he grimaced at the landing strut crushing part of his garden.

"I honestly don't know any more," she said.

Part of her felt vindicated. Gemini was behind…. Most of her troubles. Her family's death. And she had caught him. Got him arrested. But the real mastermind was still out there. She felt…incomplete. It didn't help that Ra's was still out there, still endangering the world.

And her family, and friends.

She had truly wanted to kill that one-eyed freak, though. She was ready to put her fist through his face.

She had wanted….vengeance.

Just then, nothing could have stopped her.

If the Batman had no so eerily echoed one of her father's own statements to her in his grim words.

"_When it comes down to it_," James Possible had told her in that final week before his death, though they neither of them knew it was that. "_You just have to ask yourself, what kind of_ legacy_ do you want to leave behind_?"

She had been asking him for guidance. What to do with the rest of her life. College was looming. She had decisions to make. Plans to address. Where to go, what to take? What major was best? Did she even want to stay with GJ, or keep on as an independent adventurer?

She had so many questions, and felt her parents would always be there. Always provide an anchor.

She had no idea how fragile their lives could be. How easily she could lose….everything.

She wiped away the tears, and watched the hatch open, and Dr. Director herself stepped out.

"I've got news, in case Wade hasn't contacted you," she was told curtly as the woman, still all business, stepped out to approach her.

"What now," she asked sourly, not rising from the step.

"We caught Gemini," she told her.

Kim's face remained blank.

"I heard that one."

"Did you heard Ra's League was about to use your father's Science Center to launch biological weapons over America?"

"What," she rasped, standing up, and feigning very real surprise. "Wade didn't tell me that!"

"We're pooling our resources now, and converging. I'd like you to come in, too."

Kim stood there, staring.

"Kimberly?"

"I… I can't."

"But, Kimberly….."

"I can't. My mom still needs me. I need to be here in case Shego calls. I…. I just can't. Not now."

Betty stared hard at her, and nodded.

"All right. I do understand. Hopefully, Ronald can help. I just hope you realize that you really are someone the world still needs, Kimberly. Remember that, if nothing else."

"My mother comes first," she told her, one hand clenched, remembering.

Betty nodded, then raced over to jump back into the aircraft, already starting to rise. Kim watched it ascend, bank hard, and fly off at top speed.

"I think she suspects," Kim told Alfred who had stood behind her in the door, and said nothing.

"Someone always does, Miss," he told her.

"Yes. They do. Still, just because Kim Possible is staying out of the light, doesn't mean _Vixen_ is."

"But, Miss, Master Bruce said…."

"I have to be ready, Alfred. If this is another feint, I have to be ready."

"Another feint?"

"Think about it, Alfred," she told him, walking inside. "Metropolis is supposed to distract the big guys according to what we found. Then someone like Gemini just happens to drop that the missiles are the ones in Middleton? Suddenly most of GJ, and all the area defenses are heading for MSC. Suppose…. Suppose that was just another diversion? Then, I have to wonder, where would the _real_ missiles be?"

"Oh, dear, if that is true, that could be quite the conundrum."

"Yes, and I think I know where to look."

"You do," Alfred frowned, thinking Bruce was the detective. This young lady didn't seem to have much of a reputation in that quarter. At least, not from what he had finally read on her strange website.

"The very place he started. And then led everyone _away_ from."

Alfred frowned.

"You don't mean….?"

"Gotham," she nodded. "They're here. Somewhere. And I'm betting with all those shipments, some missiles were scattered among them. I'm going to call Wade, and have him map the city for extraneous power surges. That may be our only chance."

"Shouldn't you call the master, then," he asked.

"No. I can handle this one myself," she said as she headed for the Cave.

Alfred said nothing even as she opened the passage, and thumbed her watch at the same time, the strange costume already flowing up her arm, and surrounding her lithe, willowy frame.

Alfred said nothing at the passage closed behind her.

**KP**

"Tell me what you're not saying," Ann asked as the doctor stood over her, testing her vitals, and reactions.

The man eyed Shego, sighed, and made notations on his chart.

He had been more than a little upset that Shego had spilled what little she had. Six months in a coma wasn't long compared to some, but it was long enough that certain adaptations had to be made. Especially when the patient showed signs of retrograde amnesia that could impact far more than superficial memories.

"We already discussed this, Ann," the man finally smiled, and responded after handing the chart to a nurse, who took it with her. "You have to be patient, and let us assess….."

"I do remember that I am a doctor. So I think I'm more than ready to hear…."

"Do you remember Shego yet?"

"I….. Not really. But she said she's a friend, and I believe her."

"Yes. I know. You've said that more than once. Do you remember Kim yet?"

"Kim. Kim. My…..daughter," she asked, more guessing than not just then.

"Well, that sounds as if you either remember her, or you're a very good deducer. Which is it, Ann?"

Ann looked pained.

"Can you remember her age? Her birthday? Her…..?"

"No," she spat. "All right, no. I don't remember her. I just…. I did guess from what little was said, and the way it was said, that she was likely…..my little girl."

"So, you don't remember anything about her?"

Ann whimpered.

"What do you remember? Think about it, but don't try to strain yourself. Sometimes, you really do just need time…."

"I know how the brain works, Dr. Collins," she huffed at her new therapist. "I happen to be a very good neurosurgeon. My academic standing….."

"So, you remember that?"

_"Yes!"_

"Just nothing personal?"

Ann went back to looking pained.

"Maybe we ought to let her relax, Doc," Shego cut in now, standing beside the bed, and looking ready to toss him out the window of her new room. "I think pushing here is only hurting her."

Ann smiled gratefully at her.

James Collins shook his head, sighing, but held up his hands in surrender.

He had already figured out that Shego offered suggestions about one minute before she offered to show you the door. She took her notion of protecting the redhead very seriously, and had he not learned how capable the woman could be when she thwarted not one, but two assassination attempts, he would have wondered why anyone would have risked using her as a bodyguard.

"Thanks," Ann smiled at the green-skinned woman. "You know, I really don't remember you yet," she told her with a sigh. "But I do have a sense of…..familiarity about you."

"That's a start," Shego grinned. "I did stay at your house a few times. You know, when _I_ was in trouble."

"You….stayed at my house? My….family didn't mind? Because I'm sure I heard one of the nurses saying your some kind of…..felon."

"I have been. I've been a hero, too. I've been a lot of things," she admitted. "Just now, I'm your bodyguard. Kim hired me herself."

"Kim…. My…..daughter. So, she's not little, is she? I mean, if she's hiring bodyguards," Ann smiled wanly.

"Define little," Ann was told. "Kim has been…..fighting bad guys for years."

"For years? Wait, did she….fight you?"

"A few times," Shego admitted. "And she's always trying to save me from myself, too. She really has a good heart. Like her mother."

"How old is she," Ann asked. "Please, Shego. I need to know something. I feel like I'm in the dark here, and just….."

"I know. Well, I don't know. But I can sympathize. I've been really confused at times in my life, and while it obviously can't compare, I know it really sucks when you are left standing in the dark without a clue."

"So…?"

"I'll tell you this. Kim is seventeen, but very mature. And, I doubt there are very many people in the world that could face her when she gets going."

"Even you?"

"Honestly? We're about even at times. Unless she gets….tweaked. Then, even I can't stop her."

"She's really that good?"

"Better. You have nothing to worry about," Shego said earnestly. "If anyone goes after Kim, they're either stupid, or suicidal."

She didn't add, '_Especially now_.'

"She sounds….formidable."

"She's still a dimwitted teenage girl, though," Shego teased. "You wouldn't believe how often that gets her into trouble."

"Tell me," Ann asked, almost hungrily.

"Well, she was dating likely the most clueless boy of all time lately. And let me tell you, he is clueless."

"He can't be that bad," Ann smiled.

"Trust me, this boy's idea of a date is Bueno Nacho, and dollar coupons."

"Oh, no," Ann burst into laughter. "And Kimmie doesn't mind?"

Shego smiled, wondering if she had noticed she had used one Kim's many nicknames.

"Well, not so far. Not….vocally, at least," Shego added with a grin as Ann listened hungrily to every word. "She can get wound up over the strangest things, though. I remember once…"

_To Be Continued….._


	15. Chapter 15

_I do not own the characters named herein from either Disney, or D.C., and am only using them for a tale meant for entertainment purposes only._

**Kim Possible: Sacrifices**

**By LJ58**

**15**

Kim landed the cloaked Roth near the same warehouse where she had intercepted the first shipment that one evening. She was scanning the area before moving, still waiting to see if Wade was going to be able to help, but not counting on him just then.

Feint, or not, Middleton had apparently filled up with assassins and Henches of late, and GJ, and Wade were both busy holding them off, while ensuring no one got to the rockets in the Science Center.

That pretty much left her on her own just now.

No news from Batman, or his friends, but she had heard that a lot of the gangs had been neutralized. Even Gotham's gangs were laying low just now after most of the future-tech weaponry had been confiscated.

She was checking the warehouses one-by-one when she realized one warehouse was filled with a lot of bodies.

Far more than would have been normal at this time of the afternoon when most legitimate workers were headed home. She focused on the building, and while she couldn't detect anything telling, the sheer number of bodies was suspicious.

She left the Roth, scaled the roof, and went to find a way in when she realized she had a shadow.

Spinning around, she saw the young man in the black bird suit again, and glared.

"Something you need," he was asked as she glared at him from behind her visor.

"I think we both know the League is in there," he nodded at nearby side window. "You go in through those windows, and you'll blow yourself up. They're all booby trapped.

"Wasn't going to use the window," she told him.

"How did you plan to get in? I've been looking…."

"How did you find them here?"

"I trailed one of their pawns. He was carrying some very high-tech electronics. I had the feeling it was something important.

"I think the real missiles are here," Kim told him curtly as she jumped up, and moved across the roof. "Coming?"

"So, Vixen? You do this often?"

She glared, and pulled out the small, handheld blue laser she still carried. Adjusting the beam, she cut through the roof, and pulled back the metal circle with ease after she did. Looking down, and eyed the nearest men, and then attached her grapple to the nearest strut to lower herself into the warehouse even as she activated her stealth mode.

"Whoa," Nightwing exclaimed quietly. "Nice trick," he murmured as he followed her using more gymnastic moves than rope, and landed easily on a catwalk not far below him.

He glanced around, pulling small darts from his belt, and stayed hunched down as he moved to the nearest guard on the catwalk at the far end. He was looking away, but if he time it just right…..

Even as he raised his hand, the man stiffened, and just fell over. Unseen hands lowered him to the metal flooring of the catwalk, and then Nightwing grinned as he saw another man just drop over a moment later. In only moments, all five armed guards on the walkway were out cold.

He moved behind the unseen woman, quickly, and carefully disarming the men, and tying them up. Then he moved around to a vantage point where he could see three small missiles being loaded with bulky warheads.

"Score one for the girl with attitude," he murmured, and moved closer.

Even as one of the men below yelped, and he guessed where Vixen had gone.

He flung several gas pellets, with his darts, and more of the men went down. Two men in white coats howled, and tried to run. The dark-clad assassins shot them both with crossbows, bringing them down with bolts in their legs.

"If you want the antidote," one of the men spat as the others suddenly found themselves confronting a very visible Nightwing, "You will finish the preparations."

"Do, and you die anyway," Vixen appeared just then, and joined Nightwing by first slamming the head of the man making the threats into the nearest wooden crate. She deftly searched him now, and pulled out two vials.

"An-Anti-dote," one of the whimpering men begged.

Vixen held up the vials holding an amber fluid, and eyed them.

"No antidote," she told them in her low growl. "Poison. I don't think they want you leaving."

The men both wailed.

"Kim walked over, deftly removed the bolts, and studied them.

"Definitely poisoned. Slow acting, and easily treated. Get out of here, and call an ambulance."

"Go," she snarled, leaping up, and back, somersaulting over the two men that tried coming at her from behind.

She grabbed both of them, flung them around, and they slammed into the wall with enough force to warp the thin aluminum. They did not, however, stay down this time, and rushed at her again, both now drawing swords.

Behind her, the men whined, but helped one another hobble for the nearest door.

"Not bad," Nightwing told her, catching sight of her as she tumbled, hammered, or simply bulled through the men to reach the missiles.

She grabbed up one of the canisters yet to be loaded, and eyed it. Then she grabbed a wrench, slinging it with devastating force at the man trying to move the second rocket into position near the first already prepared, and he fell with a yelp.

Only as he fell, the first two missiles began to flame.

"No," Nightwing shouted as the first missile exploded through the roof, followed quickly by the second.

"I'm on it," Vixen shouted, still carrying that deadly canister as she used her grapple to all but fly to the roof. "Keep these jerks from launching that other one in case they have a spare!"

"Batman," Nightwing called over him comlink even as Vixen disappeared, and he hoped she really could do something. He wasn't putting all his eggs in her basket, though. Clever toys, or not. "Nightwing. We found three mini-missiles at the docks. Two just launched."

"You were supposed to stop them," a gruff voice grunted, sounding like he was in a fight of his own.

"I'm trying to stop a third," he complained, and barely ducked a sword from one side, and a weighted staff from the other.

He jerked out two short staffs of his own, and glared at the men.

"Wanna play rough," he complained, and thumbed the switches that electrified his batons. "Okay," he shouted, and ran at the men that rallied around the last missile.

**KP**

Kim leapt into her car, already starting the engine even as she slammed the gearshift down into flight mode, and switched on her scanner to lock on the two rising missiles. If they hit their apogee before she caught them, the world was in trouble. From what she knew, that was when they would arch down, explode, and dump their contents into the air currents that would spread the toxins not only across the nation, but across the world in due time.

She couldn't let that happen.

Sacrificing power to the cloaking field, she channeled everything into the thrusters, and aimed her car at the first missile.

"C'mon," she hissed, hands clenched on the wheel as she eyed her targeting laser.

Nothing lethal, but it should be just strong enough to knock out any guidance, or propulsion systems.

She hoped.

Inching closer even at top speed, she reached the minimum range, and fired her laser emitter through her headlights.

The beams converged, hit the missile just below it's nosecone, and the rocket began to sputter.

"Got it," she swore, and fired a grapple to snag the weapon before it could fall, and possibly explode on impact.

Carefully reeling it in, she felt it clunk into place under her undercarriage, and then focused on the other missile. Even as she eyed the scanner, she knew she was out of range, and wasn't going to get any closer.

"No, no, no," she swore, even as a streak of color cut in front of front her, the wake almost unsettling even her gyros, and then she saw a powerfully built man in primary colors simply snatching the rocket out of midair, and snapping it in two.

He held onto the nosecone, and let the lower half fall, and then waited for her by simply hovering in midair.

"I'll take that," he told her with a faint smile, reaching under her car, and pulling the missile free to snap it in half, too. "Don't want to take chances with it," he added, and flew off with the deadly warheads.

Kim shook her head, banked her car down, and flew back toward the warehouse.

All she could think of was, "Wow."

Then she was dropping right out of her hovering car even as she let the cloak hide the now darkly colored vehicle as she dropped right into the middle of what was still a real fight.

"Glad you could make it," Nightwing quipped. "I take it the Calvary arrived."

"I got one. _He_ got the other. Now, let's finish these jerks," she said, and raised hands that shimmered with energy as she began to amp her speed and strength, preparing to end this one fast.

"With pleasure," the pretty-boy grinned even as he continued hammering the assassins as if he were enjoying himself.

Kim focused her control precisely, and began to drop men with one punch, or an equally divesting kick. And she was everywhere, moving almost too fast to track, and then no one was left except groaning bodies laying around the warehouse.

"Wow. You are good," Nightwing exclaimed.

She glanced at him, and simply spat, "I'm finished. You take care of the mess," she said as sirens began to approach.

She jumped up again, disappearing through the roof, and he let her go.

He already knew where she was going.

Meanwhile, he had better wait and tip off Harvey so he didn't take chances with these guys. Or their weapons. Both could still be lethal if given a chance. While Bullock was a good cop, he could be sloppy sometimes.

**KP**

Ron watched the street from his house.

He had likely alienated GJ when he told her he was staying home to protect his family, and the friends that had gathered there. Even, unlikely as it seemed, Bonnie and her family had come over. She seemed genuinely afraid after it seemed the streets of the usually quiet town had become a war zone.

She sat with her mother, ignoring her own sisters, and huddled quietly as the others chatted quietly, and tried to forget that armed assassins were waging war on their town. Only the authorities were just holding their own, and no one asked the obvious.

'Where was Kim Possible?'

Bonnie wanted to. Ron could see it in her eyes. But the brunette was genuinely scared, and saying nothing just then.

"Wade, I hate to say it, but I need help."

"Ron?"

"I've spotted at least twenty of these guys moving into position, surrounding us. I get the feeling the reason they aren't moving is because they're waiting for night. Please tell me you can talk Kim into getting back here?"

"What about GJ?"

"Wade, they're focused on the rockets. And barely holding them off from what I've seen. We need KP. Or anyone else you can find," he said pointedly as he eyed the sun, which was getting lower all the time. Even he might be at a disadvantage then. In fact, he was pretty sure that was what they planning.

"I'll call, but…. You know how she's been lately," Wade told him. "Try to hang on. I'll pass the word."

"Make it fast, buddy. Or we might not be here tomorrow."

He sat on the roof, staring, trying to keep track of those subtly moving bodies around the neighborhood, and tried to understand why they were so determined to get in the house if the missiles were elsewhere. Sure, they were KP's friends, but…..

Something else occurred to him, but he didn't give it thought.

It was not an idea he cared for just then.

He just focused on the streets, and waited.

"C'mon, KP. This time, I really need your help."

**KP**

"You disobeyed me," the Bat growled over her radio as she began to head for the manor.

"No, I didn't. I'm still in Gotham. And it's a good thing I was."

"Ra's wasn't in Metropolis. I'm on my way back myself."

"He wasn't," she frowned. "Then why….?"

"He had another small army here. It took time to root them out, and naturalize. He obviously is still playing games within games here."

"Yeah, he…."

She trailed off as Wade beeped in.

"Sorry to bother you, Kim," he cut in without waiting. "Ron's in trouble. A whole bunch of these assassins are lining up to storm his house, and it's not looking good. Especially with GJ diverted by the missile crisis."

"They're still after Ron?"

"Not Ron," the Bat Growled. "Damn, I should have known. They're after the Han," he spat. "Kim, you cannot show yourself, but….."

"On it," Kim said. "Tell Ron help's coming," she told Wade. "Just hang on."

"They want….Hana," Wade frowned, never having been tipped to the secrets of her heritage.

"Never mind. Just tell Ron help is coming," she told him, and turned the car hard, and once again sped back toward Middleton.

**KP**

Night was falling, and they were definitely coming.

He could hear them. _Feel_ them.

Several were headed for the back door. More were storming the front. Even he couldn't cover both, and good as she was, Hana was still a child. He swore, and leapt to intercept those in front. He hammered them easily, his stress unlocking his mystic powers like never before.

He heard shouts and cried behind him, and sounds of fighting, too.

Hana.

He barely ducked a sword aimed at him while he was distracted, andrefocused on the battle before him. Like it, or not, it was all he could do, even as he hoped his sister could manage until he could reach her.

If only…..

A body came flying thorugh the window just then, and he frowned as he realized it was an assassin.

He dropped the last man before him, and burst through the door, ready to defend his family and friends.

Even as he did, he saw the dark-clad shape of the woman that was smashing another assassin inot a wall, as Hana stopped another from knifing her in the back.

He almost shouted out her name, but remembered in time to catch himself.

"You're Vixen, right," he said as the last man fell, and he glanced around. "I think more are coming. These guys were the warmup. Did he send you?"

"Yes," Vixen growled. "We think Ra's al Ghul is already here."

"Well, aren't you the clever little thing," a low, sardonic voice remarked as they turned to see four burly assassins in the door bracketing a tall, lanky man in ornate robes. The four with him wore no masks, or shirts. They were bare-chested, their bodies adorned with stylish tattoos that suggested someone truly vicious.

"Ra's," Vixen growled as the people around her shied back.

"I'm quite surprised you figured it out, young lady. I didn't think you were in the detective's class, but I obviously underestimated you."

"You'll never get Hana," she said starting forward.

"Shame on you, Vixen," he stressed knowingly. "Surely you know by now that I plan for everything. By now, my people have several telling hostages. Stand aside, all of your, or you will not….."

The flying figure smashed through the two rear bodyguards, and sent Ra's tumbling with a hard kick form behind.

"Detective," Ra's swore. "And here I thought I left you in Metropolis with the rest of the refuse."

"We were onto you from the start," the Bat growled his claim as the people in the house just gaped as he easily took out the two other men with quick, concise strikes. "It's over. We stopped your men, and now we're here to stop you."

Ra's rose to his feet, brushing off his robes, and eyed him.

"And to think, my former disciple thought you were of no consequence," he remarked, but he was looking at Kim.

"Your….disciple," Vixen glowered. "I don't know any of your people."

"You both do," he said nodding to Ron. "Or don't you recall the Lord Fist?"

"Monkey Fist? He's one of you," Ron hissed. "Dude, that explains so much."

"Doesn't it. So, Detective. What now. With a single signal, I have two hundred men waiting to swarm you. Even you, and your…..new acolyte cannot manage….."

Kim's fists clenched, and began to glow.

"No signals," Vixen swore. "You and me, bastard. One-on-one. Winner take all."

"Vixen," Batman swore.

"Agreed. Outside, if you will. We wouldn't want the civilians to interfere."

Vixen stared hard.

"You first, _backstabber_."

The master of assassins only laughed, and walked out, totally ignoring Ron.

"Ronald," his mother rasped. "Who are these people? What's going on?"

"Don't worry, mom. Shut the doors again….."

"What door," Monique squeaked her mother holding her as they all looked at the back door. Now shattered, and laying in pieces.

"Vixen," Batman said quietly. "You're taking a dangerous chance."

"He's skilled, obviously," she told him. "So am I. I also have something I've been saving."

"He favors his right, uses weapons from his sleeves, and is a dirty fighter. Be wary," he told him as he noted the night around them was already moving. More than it should. "And watch your back. He already called his people in."

"I know," she said quietly, stepping forward onto Ron's front lawn.

The man stood there looking serene, a faint smile on his less than admirable visage, and she glared. Shego could look just as snide, but she pulled it off in a way that was….. Well, maybe not likeable. This guy, knowing what she did now, only made her furious.

Only that anger didn't make her sloppy. It focused her. Made her ironically calmer.

She took a stance, and the man laughed.

"You think to defeat me with that," he laughed, and lunged, his bladed hands sweeping, feinting, and spinning to chop all at once.

Only she defied form, as she ever did, and tumbled forward, easily dodging him even without amping her suit, and came up behind him, driving a hard boot into his side.

"Point to you. I forgot how….unorthodox you are," he remarked blandly.

Vixen said nothing, her masked visage cold with a rage that burned in her blood just then.

"I understand you're supposed to be immortal," she told him, taking another stance, one far removed from the first.

"So they say," he smiled as blandly as ever.

"I wonder if they'll still say that when I rip your head off, and send it into orbit."

"How….distasteful. Young people. No class at all. Ah, well," he said, a long blade sliding down from his left sleeve to fill his hand. "I suppose I'll just have to end this now."

Kim was suddenly moving, her gauntlets catching the steel that was deflected from her body even as she returned blow for blow, and began hammering him until she spun around at one point, and shattered his long sword.

Ra's backpedaled, then flung out both hands, four small daggers flying right at her chest.

And bouncing off as a flash of light blue fire betrayed her new, body-shield built into the battle-suit.

"Clever girl," the man said, his mask falling now as his eyes radiated rage. "Take them," he barked, as men began to move out of the shadows.

"So much for your vaunted honor," Kim spat, and rushed him, hammering with stronger and stronger blows, driving him back, and into the ground. He tried to stab her more than once, but every time, the blades slid off a blue barrier that sparked only when the steel neared her.

"Suddenly, I begin to see why people have so much trouble with you," he complained as Vixen backhanded him, and bounced him off a nearby tree.

Which was when he noticed his men were closing in.

"What is wrong with your imbeciles. Take them," he shouted.

"Bad idea," the Batman growled, and glanced up.

Filling the sky were dozens of colorfully clad heroes hovering over the house. In the lead, the virtual demigod stood hovering in the front, his expression suggesting that no one move.

"Touché," Ra's spat blood as he regain his feet again. "Do not think this is over, though….."

Kim was on him in an instant, her hand around his thin throat, and the other holding him back against the unyielding tree behind him.

"Maybe you thought I was joking about your head," she spat, not seeing Batman gesturing for the others to hold back. "Maybe you think you can come back even if I tear you into little pieces, and shot them into the sun."

The man just stared, not even able to say a word as his face purpled, and his lungs strained for air.

"So listen very carefully, old man. If I see you again…. If I see you anywhere near here…. No one else ever will," she swore. "Because you won't even see me coming."

The man swallowed hard, wheezing for air as he rubbed his very bruised throat as he staggered back after she shoved him away.

"Bravo, Detective," he finally regained a degree of composure. "I do believe you've finally found a disciple worthy of you. Until another day," he said, vanishing back into the shadows before anyone could react."

"Science Center," he said, looking up at the caped figure in the lead.

"Already taken care of. J'onn is sweeping the town now, but it looks like they're all pulling out."

"Thank God," someone said from the house where everyone was looking out now.

"You and I need to have a chat about following orders," Batman turned on her. "Let's go."

Vixen stared hard, but said nothing as they both raised their hands, and seemed to fly off even as a sleek, black aircraft flew overhead.

"Don't worry," one of the heroes, glowing a bright green, nodded down at the spectators staring after the departing pair. "You're safe now. We'll have the last of these devils flushed before morning."

Ron just stared.

At the street, where a very familiar purple coupe was speeding up the highway even as the last of the heroes departed after scooping up the unconscious men left behind.

"Ron," Kim shouted, jumping out of her car. "I got here as soon as I could. What happened," she asked him.

Ron stared hard at the flushed redhead dressed in her usual mission gear again, and looking far from hurt.

"You just missed it, KP," he said, and went toward her.

To his surprise, he threw her arms around him, and hugged him hard.

"I'm just glad you're okay," she said. "No one got hurt, did they," she asked as people began coming out of the house.

"No thanks to you," a certain brunette huffed.

She eyed Bonnie, but said nothing, and looked to Ron again.

"My mom's awake," she smiled at him. "She can't remember things yet, but she's awake. She's going to live," she said with genuine relief, finally hearing the news after Shego decided it was safe to call her after the last assassins were sent packing on her end.

"That's great," he said, only then lifting his own arms to return her embrace.

"We're glad for both of you," the Stoppables came out.

"And don't mind, Bon-Bon, sweetie," Mrs. Rockwaller told her as Bonnie scowled. "I doubt even you have helped tonight. Things were just so crazy here for a minute."

Bonnie snorted, and stalked off.

"It's probably her fault anyway," she tossed over her shoulder.

"So, are you coming back," Ron asked her, hugging her again, and liking it.

"I don't know. It depends on mom's doctors, and everything. Like I said, memory issues," she said quietly.

"Well, just don't forget us," he told her.

"That's right, GF," Monique came over to hug her next. "We've missed you. Well, most of us," she said, glancing toward Bonnie who shouted for her mother to hurry up, and open their car.

"I guess she hasn't noticed the tires are all flat yet," Monique whispered.

Kim laughed.

And it felt good to laugh.

She hugged Monique again, and told her, "I have to get back. Mr. Wayne will be freaking after the way I tore out of there. But I'll be in touch. Promise."

"Just remember where you really belong," Monique told her.

"And we'll always have your back," Ron told her with a wan smile.

"I know, Ron. I know. Sorry about….you know, earlier. I was still…."

"I know, Kim. Hey, best friend here. Who can you yell at, if not me?"

"You're so weird," she said quietly, and gently touched his cheek. "You guys really okay?"

"We are now. Even I never thought we see _them_ here, though," Ron smiled.

"Them," Kim frowned, sounding confused.

"The Big Guys. The real capes," he told her. "Man, you really missed out on this one," he told her.

"I wish I had," his mother declared. "And, Kim, it was nice of you to come, dear, but you'd better call your guardian, now, and let him know not to wrry."

"Yes, Mrs. Stoppable," she smiled. "I guess I just didn't stop to think when I heard you were in trouble. I just wish I could have gotten here sooner."

"It's the thought that counts," Mr. Stoppable advised her.

_To Be Continued…_


	16. Chapter 16

_I do not own the characters named herein from either Disney, or D.C., and am only using them for a tale meant for entertainment purposes only._

**Kim Possible: Sacrifices**

**By LJ58**

**16**

"You were lucky," Batman scowled as her when she returned to the cave.

He had dropped her off near her car, and after she changed, she raced back to the Stoppables, and feigned a late arrival.

"I thought you said what we did wasn't about luck," she shot back.

"Vixen," he swore.

"I knew it," a voice drawled as Dick Grayson walked into the cavern from the lift, in civilian clothes just then. "You are Kim Possible."

"And you're still a jerk," she spat at him, standing there in uniform, but without her mask just then.

"Hey, what did I ever do to you?"

She glared.

"One, you're too pretty," Alfred drawled.

"I'm what?"

"And I don't believe the young lady quite trusts you, sir."

"Why not," Dick turned back to ask her.

She just glared.

"I suspect you bear more than a slight resemblance to a certain synthetic life form that once almost killed her."

"I do," Dick frowned.

Kim just glowered.

"Pardon me, sir, but I was just informed the doctors are preparing to release Dr. Possible. Shego asked if she should wait on you, or arrange her own transportation."

"Tell her I'm on my way," Kim told him. "Or are you going to complain some more?"

'Whoa," Dick stared at her, unable to believe the little redhead would stand up to someone like Bruce when he turned 'the look' on her.

"You're still dangerous iwht that suit of yours," he started.

"If this is about Ra's, I never hurt him. Much. He was wearing his own battle-suit under that robe, if you noticed."

"I did."

"So, by clamping down the neck, I shattered the control interface, and he lost the only edge he had on me. Besides, if I had wanted him dead, he would be."

"he won't be bluffed by you for long," Batman started to tell her.

"Who said I was bluffing. That freak goes after my family again, and I will tear him into little pieces. He's been warned. Now, he can't complain if I take his head off next time."

Dick stared.

Is she talking about….?"

She shot a potent glare at him, and slapped her left gauntlet, and he stared as her costume seemed to come apart, fading with every step as she headed for the lift.

"I'm going to get my mother. Then I'll be back to pack."

Batman said nothing as he watched her go.

"She's still dangerous," he murmured.

"I have the feeling, sir, she always was," Alfred remarked.

"Yeah, you should have seen the way she took down…." Dick trailed off as the dour gaze fell on him. "Some other time," he grimaced as the look was turned on him.

**KP**

Kim was more than eager to see her mother, even after the doctor's continuously repeated warnings, suggestions, and advice as she had to keep herself from running down the hall after the elevator finally got her to the floor she needed.

She walked as fast as she dared as more than a few nurses and interns turned to stare after her, not used to seeing smiling faces around them.

Or, fairly famous ones.

She reached the room number where her mother had been moved after a third attack, which was likely why Ra's thought her mother was in his hands at the time. He obviously miscalculated if he thought a few of his assassins could take out Shego.

She pushed through the door, not stopping to knock, and froze in her tracks as she just stared at the sight before her.

Her mom looked good.

Very good.

She was even up, and dressed now.

She was also in a heated clench with Shego, and the two women were kissing passionately, with their arms wound around one another.

Then Ann broke the embrace, staring at her, and blushing.

"Oh, uh, hello. We were just….. Waiting for…."

"Ann, this is Kimmie," Shego told her, winking. "Your daughter. Hi, Princess. Took you long enough."

"I….."

"Yes," Ann asked.

"I….. Ah, I….. I'm glad you're better," she sputtered.

"We'll talk, Princess. Ready to go, Ann?"

"Sure," she smiled. "Maybe the doctor is right, and familiar surroundings will help jog some of my memory back," she said, smiling at Kim, but yet to do more.

"Uh, yeah. Listen, I need to stop at your cousin's house first. I've been staying there, and Alfred should have my stuff packed up by the time we get there."

"Okay," Ann agreed easily. "Does my cousin have a name?"

"Bruce? Bruce Wayne."

"Are we close," she asked, showing no hint of recognition.

"Give it time," Shego whispered to her as she picked up Ann's bags herself, and followed them out of the room.

"I know. Dr. Collins told me…..everything."

"Just tell me you guys put an end to that old man."

"he got away. But he's on notice," Kim said grimly.

"Heard that one before," Shego sniffed.

"Not from me," Kim said quietly.

"Look, me and your mom….. She's fragile, and I hope you know, I won't hurt her. I really am trying to help her, and….."

"So, you'll be staying with us?"

"As long as she wants me," Shego nodded quietly. "As long as she needs me."

Kim only nodded.

"That….actually takes a lot of pressure off. Thanks, Shego. I mean that. Thanks."

"You can thank me by keeping that loopy Cyclops off my back. You can tell her I'm out of the biz."

"You're….serious? I mean, you and mom are…..?"

"I don't know myself. But….we might have a chance. And, you should know, I have always preferred women."

"Is that why you always….teased me," she sputtered.

"Teasing you was fun," Shego smiled at her as they waited on the lift, Ann just looking around. "But let's face it, Kimmie, you're still just a little girl. Even I'm not that evil," she smirked.

"Just take care of my mom," she said, and they stepped onto the elevator together, and Ann, behind them, giggled.

"What," they both asked.

"You two. Shego was right, you are pretty mature. You're all grown up already, aren't you," she smiled at Kim.

"Even if she is still kind of a bubble-butt," Shego drawled.

Kim groaned at Shego's knowing expression as Ann burst into laughter.

**KP**

Ann stared at the graves, and shook her head.

"I don't even remember them. I mean, the pictures…..they feel…..familiar. But I don't remember," she said, looking at her family's graves.

"I'm sorry, Ann. You wanted to know everything."

"And the men that did this….?"

"I caught them," Kim said, but said no more.

"Is this why those men kept trying to attack us?"

"Yeah. The old freak is a sore loser," Shego told her, hugging her to her side as Ann looked more disturbed by not feeling anything, than actually seeing the graves after hearing the hard truth of her accident, and the near end of the Possible lineage.

"You okay, mom?"

"I'll be all right, Kimmie," she called her, and just kept staring at her husband's grave. A husband she didn't even remember any more.

Kim glanced to one side of the cemetery, and frowned.

"Take your time," she told them. "I see someone I need to talk, too."

"Yeah, I noticed her myself," Shego admitted. "Just keep her off my back, Princess. She has to know I'm behaving by now."

"I'll tell her. Don't worry," she told them both as Ann looked around, her gaze troubled. "I'm sure she's still just trying to get me to go back to work."

"School comes first," Ann informed her daughter as Ann eyed the woman in uniform standing well back from the family plot.

"Now that sounds familiar," Kim smiled back at her.

Ann returned her smile, and looked back to Shego.

"She really worked for the government?"

"I still have a lot to tell you, Ann," Shego told her, watching Kim all but stalk toward Dr. Director.

"I'm surprised you came in person," Kim said when she reached the one-eyed senior agent.

"Somehow, I doubt you would listen to Will."

"That's a given," she huffed.

"I understand you're back in Middleton."

"So far."

"Have you given any thought to…..?"

"Not yet. I still have to resettle into school, for however long I have left. A lot of Middleton needs help putting things back together, and….. I'm just not up to anything else just now."

"I noted Gotham had a new hero that showed up about the time you were there."

"I know. She helped me get away from Shego that first time, and then helped me talk her into watching mom. Who knew Shego was that fond of mom."

"I wondered how that attack fit in. I couldn't figure out what was going on at the time."

"It was her own ploy to try to draw out whoever attacked us. She was kind of….upset someone hurt mom."

"I was unaware she was that fond of her.

"She felt she owed mom after that whole Miss Go sitch. She took it personally someone went after us like that."

"I see."

"Anyway, she wanted me to tell you she's out. She's going to be staying with mom, and helping her. And watching her, just in case."

"I see," Betty remarked again.

"Yeah, so we'd appreciate it if you could work something out."

"I could promise something, and you likely think I'd make it contingent on your cooperation.

Kim stared hard.

"I won't. I'll be honest, and tell you we can still use you, whenever you're ready to come back. Meanwhile, I will do what I can. I like your mother, too. And I truly regret what happened to your family."

Kim only nodded.

"Like I said. Give me time."

"All you need, Possible. Just remember what I said before. The world still needs heroes. Even those like you. You inspire people. You're a symbol. Never underestimate that value."

Kim nodded again.

"I'll be in touch," she finally said in a quiet tone. "Right now, mom is my priority. You understand."

"I do," she said.

"And, Betty," she called her frankly.

"Yes?"

"If Sheldon gets out this time, I may kill him myself if I see him."

Betty said nothing to that as Kim walked away.

"Anything," Betty Director asked quietly as she switched on her radio.

"Voices do not match, ma'am," the tech told her. "And, while you were talking, your mystery girl showed herself in Gotham with the Bat. He's become even more visible of late, and she was with him when they took out a few bank robbers."

Betty frowned.

"And I was so sure….."

"Ma'am?"

"Never mind. I'm heading back. Advise Agent Du I need him in Monaco this week. I had a tip something was up, and we need to find out what."

"Yes, ma'am," the agent replied, and then Betty turned to head for her transport.

**KP**

"Thanks for covering for me," Kim called Batman later. "It helped."

"I don't doubt it," the grim voice replied over the private channel he allowed her to use. "Your friend's hard-light holograms are pretty convincing."

"I know," she admitted. "He can be nosy, but he knows his stuff."

"I've noticed. If you need anything else, don't hesitate to call, _Vixen_."

"You, too. Suddenly, I understand why so many people wear masks," she said grimly.

"Sometimes, the hardest lessons are those we remember the most. Watch your back. Ra's won't be forgetting you any time soon."

"He'd better," she shot. "I'll be in touch," she told him. "And if you do need me again….."

"I think I can manage," the man shot back gruffly before the signal cut off.

Kim smirked, and eyed her 'watch.'

In a little while, Vixen would slowly fade from Gotham. Meanwhile, she was considering a redesign. Something more suitable. Something that keep anyone from ever looking at Kim Possible again when someone crashed into their lairs.

She'd talk to Ron.

If he still wanted to fight crime after this one.

For now, she had to take care of her mom, and, ironically, Shego.

She didn't know what was ahead, or just how she would pull off a 'return.' But she knew it was in her blood now. She couldn't turn her back, not when it was obvious that too many people could still get hurt if she did. So, yes, she was coming back.

Somehow.

Time would tell.

_End…?_


End file.
